A Hope Worth Having
by Sylverbraid
Summary: When a routine mission goes weird Team Possible finds a stranger enter their life and may very well change things forever. A/U Post S4 Please R&R K/R Shego/OC
1. Temporal Troubles

A Hope Worth Having

Disclaimer: Kim, Shego, Ron, and all other characters of the show Kim Possible belong to The Disney Channel.

Chapter 1: Temporal troubles

"Argent, report to T.A.S.D.M. 3 for mission briefing." The loudspeaker fell silent as Argent got to his feet.

'_I really hope this isn't another bag mission I could really use a good challenge for once._' The thought almost made the man smile but no one would have believed it if they had seen it anyway. No, he hadn't smiled for as long as anyone could remember but nobody was stupid enough to ask why, not after what happened to the last poor fool who had been nosy. He looked in the mirror to make sure he had all his equipment and just mused that in another place or time he could just be normal. Such was not his lot in life and he quickly shut the thought away with the rest of them. Argent was an agent for temporal law and it was game time. Holstering his sidearm he strode out of his quarters and towards what he hoped would be a mission worth his time.

The door for the T.A.S.D.M opened and Argent stepped inside.

"Welcome agent, the mission is as follows. Several days ago one of our top chronographers found an anomaly within the time slip and reported it to HQ. After a standard investigation it was determined that someone has been using our tech to try and alter the present as we know it."

"Yeah I know the normal standard stuff, if it was a simple fix job you could have sent anyone. So why call me?" Agent intoned rudely.

"Argent gimme a break, huh? You know I'm supposed to read this stuff as per regs. Jeez man, look all I know is that this is a tag and bag. You know the drill, get in, secure the perps, and bring 'em home. Why they called you is your the best at this stuff and they know it. The destination is Middleton,CO circa 2012, the location and perp descriptions have been downloaded onto your comm unit. Good luck." With that the machine behind Argent powered up and a rift appeared in front of him. He stepped through still wondering why his day off got canceled for a standard tag and bag.

The crisp Autumn night air touched his face as Argent finished stepping trough the time rift. As it closed he swore he had heard something from the other side and then it was gone.

'_Right, down to business_.' He thought as he pulled the mission specs up on the H.U.D. In his glasses. The location is in the outskirts in a small suburb.

'_Huh well I guess they don't want to call attention to themselves. Ok 4 perps 2 male and 2 female. Should be a walk in the park but if things were easy they wouldn't call me out._'

After a bit of staying to the shadows he finally made his way to the street that the house was to be on. He found the house with little trouble, he then put his plan into action. Setting the sound damping devices or "hush bugs" as he called them around the house took him a few minutes. These spiffy little boxes would create a field about the perimeter of the house so that no one outside could hear anything if a fight did break out, they were also especially EMP hardened. After setting the field up he set the EMP up to knock out power to the ¼ mile radius of the area. This way he could go in in the dark for the element of surprise. When everything was set he then slowly found his way to the back and scanned the house for what kind of security system it had and let a low whistle out in spite of himself. This was state of the art for his time let alone 27 years old, this just might get fun he mused.

As he got to work disabling the security on the back window he got a feeling that he was being watched but after scanning the area and finding nothing he finally got the window disabled and open. Sneaking in the window he checked his sidearm, standard issue multi function pistol that at the moment was set for tranqs. He could hear the 4 in the other room along with a sound he could not place. Powering down his suits systems he waited for a full minute the set off the EMP, the resulting dark engulfing the area. He powered up his suit as he heard the commotion and smirked.

'_Showtime_'.

Turning his glasses to IR he broke cover quietly rounding the bin and taking aim at the 4 targets.

PHUNT

PHUNT

PHUNT

3 of them were down, he then saw what was making the sound, a baby. '_No! This wasn't in the intel. Someone is going to get fried when I get back for this!_'. His momentary distraction almost cost him his head as a ball of green flame whooshed past it.

"Great a modified, just what I need" he said taking aim at the figure rapidly closing on him.

PHUNT

'_She's still coming?_' then the figure was on him, her hands lighting up the room in a firey green glow. Dodging the first swipe of her hand he tried to hit her in the chest only to have his ribs suddenly start to feel like they we burning, looking down he wasn't far from the truth of the matter, her other hand having sunk an inch or so into his right side. Seeing this the female came in with the other hand to finish with a blow leveled at his head, he pulled himself free and dodging the second blow fired again at pointblank range.

PHUNT

She stumbled backwards and then fell over out for the count. The room going dark again he let his eyes readjust then went to check and make sure the child was unharmed. In a stroke of luck the child was still in it's crib and unharmed. A message then broke into his comm unit.

"Argent the mission objectives have changed. This no longer a tag and bag, you are to sanitize the area."

'_Sanitize? What the hell, I don't do sanitations_.'

So lost in thought was he that he didn't see the slow movement of the female getting up behind him. He was still trying to figure out what the hell was going on when the lights came back on. Startled by that he looked at the slumped female in the seat in front of him, noting the red hair almost the same shade as his own. His eyes widened as he looked into the face of someone he never thought he would see again, so befuddled he didn't notice the green glow from behind him until it hit him square in the back of his head. As he fell toward the floor one word escaped his shocked lips loud enough for the figure behind him to hear.

"Mom?"

Then the darkness took him.

* * *

T.A.S.D.M.: time and space displacement module

H.U.D.: heads up display

EMP: electro magnetic pulse

IR: infrared

Modified: genetically modified humans

This is my first Fic so please let me know what you think.


	2. answers and revelations

Disclaimer: Kim, Shego, Ron and all other characters from the Kim Possible cartoon are the property of The Disney Channel

Chapter 2: Answers and Revelations

Light came back slowly to the world of a man who had just seen the impossible, he had just seen his mother alive with his own eyes. It couldn't be her because she was supposed to have died giving birth to him. That's what they'd always told him and he had no reason not to believe it, they wouldn't lie to him they cared for him, raised him to uphold the truth. Then another truth hit him like a 30 ton war mech.

"You are to sanitize the area."

That's what they had told him, they had ordered him to kill that which he had always hoped to find. They would pay.

'_What the hell is that pain in my head for?_' he contemplated.

The noise returned to his world, the noise of questions, loud questions made by angry voices. He opened his eyes slowly partly because the light was so bright and partly because he was afraid the whole thing had been a dream and he had not really seen her. There was pain in his right side and he started to remember the fight before the dark claimed him, the fight with that modified human female who was so fast and strong, who fought using ...green fire? He knew he had read about someone like that somewhere but it was like quicksilver in his mind and slithered from view. Figures were coming into focus standing over him and he tried to move. He didn't get anywhere as he found himself tied to something, a chair.

"Uuhh.."

'_Was that me?'_

"It looks like our would be kidnapper is awake finally" that had come from a lady in green.

"HOW DARE YOU TRY AND HURT MY FRIENDS!!"

More pain as his face was struck hard.

"Shego, please stop for a moment, I would like to ask some questions and if he is out cold that will not happen."

That was from...the red headed woman. From...

"Mom?"

he barely croaked the word out.

" That's the second time he has said that looking at you Kimmie, I think this guy is nuts."

Argent was now looking around with clearer vision and spotted the two males in the room both giving him looks that could melt titanium. The ..blue skinned? man was messing with something he recognized after a moment as his comm unit. The other male was blond and also familiar looking holding the child that should not have been there. His intel was wrong, there had been no mention of a child.

"Who are you and why did you break into my house and attack us? Who do you work for, Dementor, Monkey Fist, DNAmy, WHO?"

Argent stared at the red head as she asked and all he could come up with was "Are you real? Oh please God tell me you're real!"

"What kind of answer is that? See I told you he was crazy." Shego stated.

He stared a moment more gathering his thoughts then spoke.

"My name is Argent, I am from Temporal Enforcement and I was sent to round up some people who were tampering with the time stream. The item that the blue hued man is messing with is my comm unit, it should still have the mission perameters in it's memory buffer."

"Crazy" Shego matter-of-factly stated.

"Drew let me see that." The blue skinned man handed the comm unit to the red head, and she started looking at it in a way that someone would if they were looking for a switch they could not find.

She then pulled out a device and hit a button. A voice came forth from it.

"Oh, hey Kim how can I help you?"

" Hi wade, we've got a sitch here. Just a bit ago someone broke in and tried to kidnap us from the looks of things."

"WHAT?"

"It's okay Wade We're fine, Shego managed to overpowered him. We've got him tied up at the moment and well he claims he is from the future. I've got what he calls his comm unit and to be honest it looks more advanced then anything I've seen."

"Okay hold it up and I'll scan it."

" ...Wow this thing is incredible, what all can it do, I've got Infrared, UV spectrum, Night vision, on here plus I see what looks to be a receiver and transmitter, there is also tech in here I've never seen before Kim."

Argent sat there still somewhat lost and then remembered something that nagged the back of his head.

"How did you get all that from my comm? It was supposed to be scan proof. We've had people trying to hack those for ages."

Shego stood in front of Argent and said with venom in her words"If you so much as speak again when Kim is not asking you a question I WILL put you down for good, Do you understand me?"

Argent while not frightened knew she meant it and just nodded.

Kim looked over at Argent who was just staring at her with a combination of sorrow and joy in his eyes.

" Ok ..Argent wasn't it, you will tell me how to turn this thing on."

He knew it was not a request.

"You need to place it on my head. It will only activate for the one's whose genetic code it is set to."

Shego just laughed at that "Yeah we're going to fall for that, do we look stupid to you?"

Argent thinking about things stated "Fine, put it on my knee it should still be able to get a reading from that."

Kim looked over at the other three and they nodded, she placed the unit on Argent's knee. As she did the device came back on line.

He heard Wade whistle and state "That is some serious tech, We're nowhere close to having gene encoded devices."

Argent just nodded and spoke "Comm playback the last mission objectives from the beginning."

As the mission specifics were given all eyes were on Argent as the final objective was stated.

" You are to sanitize the area."

At that Shego's hands were surrounded with green flames again and Argent knew he was not long for this existence.

"SHEGO STOP!!" Kim shouted at the pale green woman.

"WHY? YOU HEARD THE THING KIM, 'SANITIZE' IT SAID, THAT MEANS KILL!!"

Suddenly there was another cry in the air as the child started crying.

"Ron you should take Kale in the other room while this is sorted out." Kim stated.

Argent let out a small strangled cry that caught everyone's attention as he stared with eyes wide at the child.

"H..his name is Kale? "

He started muttering " They lied to me, nothing but lies...all of it ...if I ever find them there will not be enough for ashes."

He looked at Kim with a look full of purpose and stated "I will not harm anyone dear to you ever again, I give you my pledge on my life I never knew that they sent me on a sanitation mission. I know you will not nor do not have any reason to believe me, but I say it none the less."

"And just why should we listen to anything you have to say." Spat Shego.

Argent's answer rang clear across the room.

"Because they sent me here to kill my family."


	3. Identity

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 3: Identity

"What do you mean 'your family'?" Shego asked.

Argent looked from Shego to Kim and stated, "My name is Kale Drago Possible, my mother was supposed to have died in childbirth and my father was supposed to have disappeared about 3 months prior to that."

Ron looked up at that and was about to say something when the pale green woman cut him off.

Shego looked at Argent incredulously and stated " Sure, next you'll tell us that they have bases on the moon." " Why should we believe anything you say?"

Argent looked at her then to Kim. "You don't have to believe me but I know that there are ways to check DNA for parental traits." "I will go to any facility you wish to take me to verify this." "I can give what I know about my past to help you out in exchange for just letting me talk, I've got a lot to sort through and many questions myself."

Kim looked to Ron and to the baby in his arms then back to Argent. "I think we should call Dr. Director about this, what do you think guys?"

Everybody nodded so Kim picked up the blue communications device again and hit a set of buttons on it. Shortly a voice came over the device "Kim, to what do I owe to this call at after 11:30 at night?"

Kim looked at the face of Dr. Director on the small screen and said "Sorry for calling so late Betty, but I need to request you to send a team over here to help transport someone to GJ HQ." "He claims to be my son from the future but as you might guess I am more then a little dubious, especially after how we met." "I will fill you in on the details once we arrive." Kim said seeing the look on the directors face.

"I expect a full report and debrief once you arrive then," Dr. Director stated "The team has been dispatched and should be there in a few minutes. I await your arrival." With that the screen went blank.

"Well I guess we can sit for a couple minutes then, I suppose." Kim said to no one in particular.

Argent who had been sitting quietly through out the exchange looked at Shego and asked " I know you don't think much of me and would like to flatten me just for talking but could you do me a favor and remove the device from my left wrist?"

"Why should I do anything for you besides put you out of our misery?" Shego spat back.

"The device is a recall beacon, if a certain amount of time has past or if triggered it emits a tachyon pulse which basically will send me back to my own time and I have no intention of going back, not now." "It has a limited range but I'd rather not have it near me."Argent calmly explained.

Drew who up to this point had been just mulling about looking at Argents' confiscated gear piped up "Oh that sounds very interesting indeed, if it does what you claim it to do." "Shego would you please get that so I can look it over?"

"Do I look like a gofer to you Drew?" Shego snapped at him."Oh fine hold your horses and quit with that pitiful look, Kimmie can pull it off a lot better then you ever will." With that she walked over to Argent and all but ripped the small device off him. She then tossed it over to Drew who immediately started examining it with the utmost attention.

Argent looked on with a slightly worried face at the man now examining the beacon. "Please be careful with that, I really do not want it to be triggered by accident." "I'd have much rather it be destroyed so that it can't be used in the wrong way." "I may not wish to go back to my time but I am still entrusted with making sure that the time line is not scrambled."

Kim looked at Drew and said "I know you really want to mess with that thing but I think we should wait at least until we have the facilities to do a real examination of it and everything else here."

Drew nodded and dejectedly put the beacon down for the moment.

Not long afterwards there came a call from the blue communications device letting Kim know that the GJ agents were there. She looked at Argent stating "You will go quietly with the agents coming in, once we arrive they will escort you to a cell while we attempt to verify if what you have told us is in fact the truth."

Argent nodded and did exactly as instructed. The ride was uneventful as was the transfer to his cell. As he sat there mulling over what had transpired over the past few hours a small smile could be seen that never left his face. He had met his parents and thinking about things he remembered from his childhood the rest of Team Possible.

He snorted "If only Aunt Isabel could see me now." "She'd no doubt swat me upside the head and tell me to get a hold of myself and think straight."

"_Well_" he thought "_I've nothing to do now except wait and see if they will believe what the results tell them_." Something about his original mission and subsequent orders were still bugging him, something he had yet to put his finger on. I never did kill missions, the higher ups knew I would not take a life unless I had no other choice.

"_That's not always true and you know it._" A small part of himself stated. He flinched as the memory came unbidden to the surface. Stuffing it back into the recesses of his mind for the moment he chose instead to look back to the image of the green skinned female who had so roundly smacked him around. She seemed very familiar to him but he... of course, that was why she seemed so familiar! He smiled a broad smile this time and figured he would keep that information for a later date. He yawned in spite of himself and realized he was very worn out.

"_Well it will take them a little while to get the info they need to verify anything and I am still healing from the fight so I think it is time for a nap._"

As he fell asleep he couldn't help but think that Brianna was just as beautiful as her mother had described her. He smiled slightly in his sleep as an imaginary hand swatted his head with a "_focus little one._"whispered by his teacher.


	4. Quantum States and DNA

Thanks go out to those of you who have left reviews. It makes the author feel better to know people are reading their stuff.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 4: Quantum States and DNA

Several hours later Dr. Director was sitting behind her desk when a knock came upon her door. "Yes?"

The door opened and agent Du came in. "The preliminary DNA test results have come back on our new guest. I don't know exactly how to react to the finding myself but you should see them." he stated.

She took the folder from Will and started to look through it, cocking an eyebrow at what she was reading she asked " Have Kim or the others been notified of this yet?"

"No ma'am, I thought it best to have you review the findings first." came the reply.

She looked thoughtfully at the folder again then stated "Please have Team Possible assemble here as soon as they can for a debriefing of the findings. Also see how the analysis of that equipment is progressing."

"Right away ma'am." Will then gave her a crisp salute, turned and closed the door on his way out.

Betty Director looked at the content of the folder again and uttered "Interesting, very interesting indeed. I think there may be more to this matter then we first believed."

Half an hour later, with the members of Team possible in her office Dr. Director handed Kim the folder "These are the preliminary results for Argent. I want you all to look over them and I want you to keep an open mind while doing so." The last part of the statement being said while she stared at Shego.

Shego for her part just smirked. As the group looked over the findings they began looking at each other with a few questions quietly passed between them. After a few more moments Kim spoke up "Are you sure about these findings Betty? I mean it could be possible he is a clone or something, right?"

"Think about that for a second Kim." Dr. director said. " If he were a clone he would be a perfect match but there are minor differences in the DNA between them, that and I don't think anyone has perfected an accelerated aging process yet. No I think he may very well have been telling you the truth or at lest what he believes is the truth."

Shego spoke up at this "So what you're saying is that Mr. Crazy there may not be so crazy after all?"

Drew, who was still examining the documents turned to Kim and Ron "Wade and I have been studying the equipment that he had with him, and we have made a few very interesting discoveries. There is a great deal of the electronics that are far beyond current production or even planned development. Another interesting thing is we have found a variance in the compounds the items in question are made of."

Kim and Betty both looked at the two scientists and almost in unison asked "What kind of variance?"

Wade and Drew looked at each other like two kids in on a great secret. Wade then started talking "Well after finding so much that was beyond our own technical level we started thinking maybe he had been telling the truth about being from the future so we started doing more detailed scans of the equipment for anything that might help us verify that. As we started doing a quantum level scan of it one thing stood out almost immediately, the quantum signature being given off by the equipment is different then the one given off by our own."

Shego blinked, frowned for a moment then asked "So what does that mean exactly? Is it dangerous for us to be around?"

"No nothing like that, at least not that we could find." this came from Drew. "What Wade is trying to say is that it is very possible that Argent may be from a future, but it may not be our future."

There was a resounding "WHAT?" from the rest of the group.

The two scientists sighed and Drew took the lead "Argent's equipment and more then likely Argent himself have a different quantum signature then we do. Everything in the universe that we know of shares the same quantum signature, think of it as the universes' fingerprint. It is the same for everything from a sun to us to a single atom, however he has a different signature, a different fingerprint if you will. So not only might he be a time traveler but from a different universe entirely."

It took a few moments for the information to sink in for the group, then Kim spoke up "So do you think he knows about this or do you think we should tell him that he may be farther from home then even he believes?"

Ron was the first to respond "Before we do anything else could we get back to the DNA results? From what I can see it looks like these are saying that mine and Kim's DNA are an almost perfect match to this guy. What I don't get are the differences that don't match us."

Shego, who had almost forgotten the documents spoke up "I was going to say something before getting dropped off in weirdsville. I think I have seen some of these genetic markers before, in fact I've seen them in only 5 people."

Betty cocked her eyebrow at this and asked "Who?"

Shego fidgeted a little and said with a slightly worried expression "Myself and my brothers after the comet gave us our powers."


	5. Shards

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Kale Drago Possible is mine however.

Chapter 5: Shards

While the group in the director's office tried to figure out what to do with the information they had garnered Argent was in the middle of a scene he had become far to familiar with. The nightmare came as it had almost every night for the past four years. He watched as his partner was shot at pointblank range in the head as he was bound and chained and helpless to stop the inevitable from happening. Her head snapped back, the bullet tearing through her temple and exiting out the other side. The feeling of rage that always followed that had already started to build, he then saw the carnage he had wrought in the wake of that shot. He remembered the screams of those that had taken her from him, pleading for a mercy they did not deserve and which he did not grant. The monster he had unleashed raged for more and as always he awoke as her name ripped free from his mouth "CHEL!!"

His eyes flew open and he was instantly on high alert being in an unfamiliar room. After a few tense moments the memories of the day crept from the corners of his mind and he remembered that he was in fact here by his own will and was waiting for the information of his statements to be verified. "_I hate that memory_."

"You alright in there?" a guard asked from outside his door. "Heard you from the desk down the hall, and what is burning?"

Argent had just gotten a whiff of that himself when he turned around and saw that part of the bunk he had been on was smoldering. "I don't know why or how but it looks like the bed was burned." He stated rather bewildered. "I think that I might need to be moved."

"Yeah well it's not the first time a prisoner has set their bunk on fire so we will see what the director wants to do." the guard said flatly.

"Well then I will await her decision on that as well I guess." Argent stated.

He sat on the floor next to the bunk which had stopped burning by this point as the memory that had been his night terror for so long came full force back into his mind. "_If only I had not struggled I would be with her. If I had insisted that I do the job solo that one time she might still be alive. Why did it have to be her..._" The thoughts stopped as he did something he had not done in almost three and a half years, he broke down and cried. He thought about how he had let his partner, the better part of himself die as he watched and then became that which he had always hated, a killer.

After a few minutes of this he stopped, scolded himself for letting the past affect him so much and pulled himself from the floor. He started to try and bring himself back into focus and he knew the best way to do that was to practice the forms that Aunt Isabel had drilled into his head for so many years.

He started slowly with basic forms slowly building speed but could only do so much in the somewhat small cell. He thought about asking if there were an area that he could practice in that had more room but decided that since he was still considered a threat it would have been turned down anyway. Done with what he could do for now he was about to sit back down when a noise caught his attention. He looked over to the door where it had come from and saw a pair of dark green eyes looking at him through the eye slot. As those met his they blinked and then the slot slammed shut as though the onlooker was mad at getting caught.

A bit earlier

"Director, I think you should see the feed from the cell of our latest guest." the call came through the PA in the office of Dr. Director. It had only been a few minutes since Shego had dropped the bomb about some of the genetic markers in Argent's DNA being very similar to those of herself and her brothers. "_Now what?_" Betty thought to herself.

Team Possible were still there discussing the possible ramifications of their recent discoveries, and so when she put the feed up on the view screen in her office they all started watching. As the feed started it looked like he was in the middle of a bad dream. After a few moments it became clear why control said she should view it. As he became more agitated flickers of light could be seen forming around Argent's hands, he grimaced and the flicker flared for a moment before it died as he screamed a name and bolted upright. He looked like a caged animal for a moment then visibly relaxed, oblivious to the smoldering sheets nearby. Apparently a guard had heard the commotion and was now talking to Argent about the noise and burning smell. As Argent looked around the room it was obvious that he had not realized what had transpired seconds before hand. The guard then left after another few words and Argent sat down near the bed and to all outward appearances started crying heavily. Betty paused the feed and looked around the room, all eyes were transfixed on the screen.

When she realized it was paused Shego looked over at Kim and said "I don't think he even knows he did that. It took us a while to get our powers under control after getting them but we knew we had them pretty much from the get go. I also wonder who this Chel is. He seems pretty broken up about it who or whatever it is."

Kim nodded and spoke "I kind of feel bad for him, it is obvious that he has had something bad happen to him and if what he told us can be trusted it has been happening for a long time."

The others nodded then looked to Betty as she started to feed back up. A few minutes went by then he stopped crying, looked like he was trying to get some composure back and stood up. He assumed what appeared to be a martial arts stance and started doing forms. Shego caught what he was doing and all the others heard from her as she jumped up and bolted out of the door was "No way in hell did he learn those from her."

Then she was gone to let the others wonder at the outburst.

She made her way to the cell holding Argent and as quietly as she could opened the eye slot to watch someone doing forms that she knew only two people should know that well. After several minutes Argent stopped and Shego realized that the room was not big enough for him to go any farther in the forms she was by now sure that her mother had trained him in. She took a breath that she did not realize she had been holding and silently cursed herself when Argent turned and looked her straight in the eyes. She blinked once and then slammed the slot shut angry that she had been caught spying. She knew a few things were for certain, she needed to find out how much this man knew about her mother's forms and that they really needed to find out if he was what he claimed to be. They also needed to determine if he had withheld the information about having abilities similar to her own or not.


	6. Lunchtime

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 6: Lunchtime

After a couple hours of sitting in his cell Argent heard a knock at his door. "Chow time." was all the guard said as he unlocked the door and Argent could see two more guards in the hallway.

"_Great, lunch with the criminal populace. Well I am hungry and I need a good stretch._" He thought. "Lead the way sir." Argent smiled and followed the guard out into the hallway towards the cafeteria.

When they arrived he could see it was a small affair with only a few tables and no windows. He was not really surprised by that, just a casual estimation of his surrounding, something that had become second nature to him. After getting his meal he sat at the one unoccupied table and started eating in silent thought. He felt more then saw the burly blond headed man come up behind him.

"Looks like we got a new guy here,seriously. What are you in for new guy?"

Argent turned and looked the bigger man over, smirked stating "Had a run in with some people that didn't like what I was up to, can't say that I blame them though." with that he turned back and resumed his meal.

The blond, not knowing a dismissal when he saw one kept up with his prattle "We heard that someone attacked Team Possible yesterday and was caught. So that was you huh,seriously? You don't look like you could handle much."

Argent finished up his meal shrugged and went to get up to deal with his tray when the big man continued. "Man those two chicks really are fine, seriously."

Argent's left eye twitched at that. "_Focus, don't let him goad you_." " What did you say your name was?" Argent asked the big blond.

"Huh? Oh it's Ed, Motor Ed." the big man put his thumb to his chest like that would help Argent figure out who the name belonged to.

Argent looked Ed in the eyes and told him "Ed I know you probably don't know any better, but I'm going to have to ask you to stop talking about them like that. They are both to be respected for their skills if nothing else and I would hate to have to hurt you if you continue to impugn their honor with this kind of talk."

Ed, not getting what was said with all the big words blinked and grinned " I'm all about their skills, like what kind they have in the sack if ya get my meaning, seriously!"

Twitch.

"Last chance to stop and go away Ed." this came as almost a growl from Argent.

A couple of guards and other inmates who had overheard the conversation looked at the big burly blond and then to the significantly smaller red head. They all knew that Ed was to dumb to catch the clue to stop and wondered how exactly this small fry was thinking of hurting the over-sized gearhead.

Ed finally seeing that the red head he was talking to had just threated him laughed and said "What, do you think you can do some of those fancy moves like Shego or Possible? Seriously dude, I can bench over 450 pounds I don't think you want to try anything. Besides all I'm saying is I'd love to get into their pants,seriously."

For Argent that was the last straw, he'd given this overgrown simpleton more that enough warnings and sprang into action. Standing up he nimbly jumped into a forward flip over Ed's head planting his left foot onto the back of the blond's skull. Ed stumbled forward but before he could get more then four steps Argent delivered a series of blows to the back of his legs then to the nerve clusters under his armpits. He then spun around the big man to face him. Ed, now in considerable pain and trying to get up off the floor looked up to see Argent's upraised fist poised to strike and a look on the red head's face that turned him cold.

"ENOUGH!" Dr. Director's voice rang from the PA system rang through the air as the guards finally realized a fight had broken out right next to them. Argent stopped, looked again at the big man who had made no effort to move any further and then put his hands up as the guards approached. As the guards put him in arm restraints he finally noticed the pain from his right side, he had forgotten about the wound from the fight less then a day before and knew that he had reopened it with his latest slip of anger. Looking down he could see the jumpsuit they had given him start to discolor as his wound bled openly. He turned to one of the guards walking him back to his cell and simply stated "I think I may have over done things a bit."

The guard looked him quizzically then saw the trail of blood Argent had started to leave. "We need to get to medical, this guy's bleeding all over the place." The other two guards looked at Argent and then the growing patch of moisture on the jumpsuit and agreed. After several minutes of hallways and elevator rides they ushered Argent into a room in the medical department of GJ.

A nurse hurried over and pulled Argent's shirt up and slightly blanched. "This should have been looked at much earlier, we need to get you cleaned up and get this stitched up right away."

Argent nodded absently as he was starting to feel light headed from the loss of blood.

As the nurse cleaned the wound she asked him "What did this? It looks like claws of some kind."

"Yeah I got into an altercation with one of your agents, Shego and well she got a good chunk of my right side."

Hearing that this was the same man who had attacked Team Possible the nurse finished up cleaning the wound a little bit more roughly then normal and without so much a word or asking if he wanted painkillers started stitching closed the wound. Argent for his part understood the suddenly rougher treatment and just grimaced as the pain brought him back to full awareness. Several minutes later she was done and motioned the guards to come back in.

"He should be fine as long as he doesn't do anything strenuous for a few days." With a final look that made Argent grimace again she turned and left.

"_Well it looks like you've made another friend, way to go._" He thought to himself.

The walk back to his cell was quiet and uneventful, and after they locked the door, Argent with a full belly and tired from the blood loss and adrenaline crash slumped over on the bed and was out before his head hit the mattress. His last thought was "_If this keeps up I don't think they will believe me, but I did do the right thing...I think._"


	7. Future History part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim possible of any of the characters in it, Disney does. Kale is mine though.

Chapter 7:Future History part 1

Argent was dimly aware of a commotion in his cell, of his being moved onto a gurney, and a little while later the sound of what he recognized as medical equipment. A smattering of conversation made it's way though the haze in his mind "...nd him li... ry pal...los...re ood...thoug.." He felt a small pain in his arm and then he drifted off again.

Several hours later with Argent being monitored by a nurse who had instructions to inform Dr. Director as soon as he woke up Kim paced back and forth outside the room with a worried look on her face . Shego and Ron came in from checking on Kale who was staying with his grandparents while they were in the GJ facility. "So how's our boy from the future doing?" quipped Shego, a look of distain on her face. Seeing Kim being so worried about the man in the next room she softened her tone "Sorry Princess, I just don't trust that man regardless of what Wade and Drew have found."

Kim looked at her friend and sadly smiled "I know, but I feel bad for him. If we hadn't wanted to talk with him when we did he may not have been alive for much longer. He lost a lot of blood in the fight with you and then the fight in the cafeteria caused him to reopen that wound. He was nearly 4 pints low when we got him back to medical. He was so pale..."

Ron interjected "But you got him here in time Kim,you saved his life so don't be so hard on yourself. We still don't know exactly why he did what he did so I have to agree with Shego. Let's let him regain consciousness so we can at least talk to him about what we have found out and see what he has to say."

"Well we should not have to wait long if he heals anything like I do, and looking at the new DNA work up they did I'd say that he should. I still want to know how he has these abilities, and if he is even aware of them. I didn't see any sign of use during the fight with Ed and the look on his face told me that if he had been aware of them they would have been in play." Shego stated looking at a chart.

They had been alerted to the fight by control and after Betty had barked that order into the mic Argent had been compliant. Shego had almost felt sorry for Ed before she heard that Argent had assailed him for 'impugning' Kim and hers' honor.

Looking at the footage, all of them had been slightly impressed with the concise moves and no wasted movements. The big man had never stood a chance. The medics said nothing was broken but the soft tissue damage was severe enough to keep the erstwhile mechanic off his feet for at least a week and no heavy lifting for a while. She knew she had to get a better sense of this man's fighting style but from what she had seen she was sure her mother would need to be called in to see if she recognized him from somewhere. The styles he used were to unique to have been learned anywhere else, at least not with the precision with which he executed them.

A half an hour later her prediction came true as Dr. Director came into the room. "They said he has woken up and is a bit confused as to why he is in the infirmary, so if you would follow me I think it's time we all got some answers."

Argent looked up as the four individuals ushered into the room, the older woman he recognized as Dr. Director was first,next were his mom looking tired and his dad, man that thought felt weird, was right beside her. Shego was the last in and she just stared at him indifferently setting some papers on the table while leaning up against the wall. Dr. Director was the first to break the silence "So feel better after that little outburst in the mess hall?"

Argent hung his head slightly "I am sorry about my outburst, I hope that ..Ed is not to seriously hurt, I lost control of my temper and I should know better then that. He was just so irritating and kept insulting both Kim and Shego, I tried to let it slide but for some reason it twisted me the wrong way. I am also sorry that I made everyone so concerned for my health, I really should have said something to the nurse about the loss of blood but I felt I deserved to be treated with some hostility after what I had done."

As he looked around he realized who he was missing seeing " So I take it Kale is being well looked after?"

"Of course he is! What kind of question is that!" Shego was outraged at the audacity of the man in front of her, so much so that she didn't realize that she had ignited her hands until Kim asked her to calm down.

Kim turned to Argent " Yes, he is at his grandparents house while we are here."

Argent's eye's grew wide again "Grandparents? But whose?" he asked,bewildered looking from Kim to Ron.

Dr. Director held her hand up as Kim went to speak "Why do you want to know something like that?" she asked him flatly.

"Well I know it can't be mom..err I mean Kim's parents because they were in a fatal car crash when she was 12. I read it in the news archives, well the one or two accounts I could find. The world network system crash of '17 really did a number on the records. I suppose by that line of thought I would surmise Ron's parents but I never had any contact with them." Argent stated looking off to one side somewhat lost in thought.

The air of utter plainness in the way Argent said that took everyone a little off guard. "you never knew any of your parent's or grandparents?" Shego looked at him to see if she could see anything that would tell her if he was lying, she could see none in the way he just looked at her when he stated "No."

Ron piped up "what about aunts or uncles?"

"I never had any contact with any of my father's family, as far as anyone could tell after he vanished there was no other surviving family. On my mother's side it was the same way, after she passed away giving birth to me there was no trace of any surviving family. I was adopted by my mom's best friend Brianna Gooding. The funny thing was that she made sure that I kept the last name Possible, I think as a tribute to my mom. When I was two she was lost on a mission she had been forced to undertake for GJ. Her mother took me in as one of her own. Looking back at my life I truly believe I am nothing but bad luck to anyone who gets close to me." Argent said his voice wavering as he recounted this part of memories he tried his best to not think about.

Lost in thought and not paying attention to the looks he was receiving from the people around him, especially Shego who had slumped into a chair, he continued "She insisted that I call her Aunt Isabel and she raised me as best she could. When I turned five she started training me in the martial arts., she always said I took to it like a bird to flight aways calling me her little drake. When I wasn't training or doing schoolwork I would visit with my 'uncles' Martin, Jules, and the twins, Nick and Travis. We had so much fun when they were not on missions. I think watching them protect Go City, well that and Martin always spewing those corny heroic lines were what first got me interested in the hero business. Of course they had those amazing abilities and all I had was my determination and growing skills. I talked them into letting me go on my first mission with them when I was 12. They were fighting that old kook ...Avarious, I think his name was, anyway I was supposed to stay in the Go Jet while they took care of him. That did not sit well with me and I stole my way into the lair. I was snooping around when I came upon the scene of Team Go chained to a wall with Avarious laughing and holding this staff with an orb saying that now that he had their powers he would rule the world or some such nonsense. Well I saw my uncles in trouble and I wasn't going to stand for it so I quietly came up behind him and as he turned and saw me I hit him with a jumping roundhouse to his chin. He went flying and I was able to catch the staff, that was when things got a little weird for me for a bit. I didn't realize that the powers he had stolen were in the staff so when I held it and thought about being strong enough to get the guys off the wall suddenly I was glowing blue and felt I could throw the Go Jet around. Apparently they had been through this kind of thing before and helped me get them down and explained that in order to get them back their powers I should break the staff so I swung it at the floor and watched it shatter. I watched as the powers flowed out of it like a rainbow looking for a storm, after a few seconds the ribbons of color found it's respective mark and uncle Martin quipped "Yup, he's definitely a Possible."


	8. Future History part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Kale Possible is mine though.

Chapter 8 Future History part 2

"After that I was allowed to go on missions with them whenever Aunt Isabel would let me, and I had a good deal of adventure on them. I often asked about my adopted mother as well as my real mom but I got precious little info about them from even those who knew the most about them. I finally managed to get a couple pictures of my mom that were taken when she was about twenty and the most I ever got about Brianna was a description from Aunt Isabel as well as her old nickname, but I don't really remember it. She never wanted to talk about it as it brought up too many memories and I didn't want to make her upset; it always led to hours of painful training routines. When I was 16, Aunt Isabel told me that she had taught me all she could and that I needed to continue on my own path. I honestly think that I was driving her a bit crazy with the missions I had taken to doing with Team Go and I had started doing solo missions on the side whenever I could. She then told me that she had been in contact with a school in Japan that she thought I should go and study at. Knowing that she was more or less telling me that I should go while making it look like I had a choice I agreed. I learned there from a great man and completed my training under him when I was about 17 ½. It was very different for me because they all knew I was doing missions to help people and so they helped me keep up with my schoolwork as well as training. Once I was finished there I made my way back home to Go City. I graduated high school a couple months later. I had apparently caught the attention of someone in GJ because I was approached a weeks after with an offer to train as an agent. I was all for it because it meant I could do what I loved doing, helping people, but Aunt Isabel was less then happy with the idea. She had lost her only daughter to 'those people', as she put it." Argent stopped talking with a sad look upon his face and his voice faltering, the last words he had spoken had been filled with a mix of fondness and sorrow.

Everyone sat in silence, digesting what had been said. A few moments more and Argent looked around stating "I kind of went off on a ramble there, sorry. I haven't told anybody this for a long time, but I felt it was best to share it. Back to why I asked about Kale was that I intend for him to have a better life then I did, I what to make sure that he has his parents there to raise him regardless of what happens." "_To me, anyways_" He thought to himself.

Looking to Ron he said "I guess that means he is with your parents then. I would like to meet them if I am ever allowed too."

At this both Kim and Ron shifted, slightly at a loss as to explain what they had all found out about Argent's origin.

Surprisingly it was Shego who spoke up first "Look, Argent we have had time to do the tests we needed to do in order to verify some of your story and the results are in this folder." She handed the folder she had placed on the table to him.

As he looked through the data he sighed "So, do you believe me that I am your son then?" looking to Kim hopefully.

Kim looked at him and nodded slowly not knowing what to say.

Before he could say anything else Dr. Director spoke up "While the DNA tests do seem to reflect what you have said, there is more to it then what is in those documents. While examining your equipment we found something which I think you might want to look at."

With that she handed him another document which she had had folded in her pocket.

Argent took the paper from her and began to look it over. After a few minutes he stopped looking up at her with a questioning glance "I don't know what this means. I really was never good with the big math stuff."

Shego , looking at Argent spoke up "Before you get to engrossed in that I need to ask you something. You looked over the DNA results, I want to know if you noticed anything out of the ordinary in them."

Argent looked back through the folder and stopped at the appropriate documents. Studying them in more detail he stopped and stared at one particular set of data. "I've not seen that in any of my scans before. When did you do these, and are you sure you didn't get a contaminated sample from somewhere?"

Shego stopped him and held several other documents out that she had pulled from the folder previously. "I want you to look at these charts and tell me what you see."

Cocking an eyebrow at her he took the papers and began looking at them and comparing the five new documents to his. After a few minutes of going back and forth he stopped and stared at what he discovered. "There are several genetic markers that are the same for all of these, mine included. Whose are these and what does it mean?"

Shego sighed roughly and stated "For someone as smart as you seem to be, you are dense aren't you? Look at the names time boy."

A bit miffed at being reprimanded in such a rude way he did as instructed. His jaw suddenly had a hard time staying still and he read the names of Team Go, Hego, Mego, the Wegos, and ...Shego. He looked back up to her and as confused as he was could only get out "What do I have in common with all of you besides what I have already said earlier?"

"Before I answer that I've a question for you." She stated with an unreadable look on her face. "Who is Chel?"


	9. Sorrow's Travels

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Kale Possible is my creation however.

Chapter 9: Sorrow's travels

The shift in Argent's demeanor was so sudden it took everyone off guard. "How do you know that name?" the words flowed through clenched teeth barely above a whisper. Gone was the confusion of a moment ago and in it's place was an individual that looked capable of anything.

Shego took an reflexive step back and began to get into a combat ready stance when Kim quietly spoke "Argent, please calm down."

He made no motion to indicate he had heard her, his eyes focused intently on Shego. Kim could see the tension flex in his arms as though he were ready to strike at any moment.

Kim was starting to get worried when she thought of something she should try "Kale, please stop. Shego only asked because when you were brought in yesterday you screamed her name out in your sleep." she spoke softly but the effect was swift and immediate.

He had stopped looking at Shego and had turned to Kim, tears beginning to well in his eyes at hearing his name being spoken."Yes ma'am." was all he could get out, the anger gone from his voice.

After a few moments of trying to and failing to regain his composure, he began to speak with a tone that spoke of a man that had been broken.

"It was while in training at GJ that I met my partner Chelsea Carver. We hit it off immediately and were so good in our respective fields that after three months we were the premier junior agent team in all of GJ. She was a genius level technophile and a crack shot with whatever firearm she could lay her hands on while I was the top close quarters specialist they had, junior or full agent. We made an unbeatable team and we soon made full agents, much to the chagrin of other agents. Director Du was so impressed with our success rate that he gave us a designation that had been retired out of respect, we were named Team Possible. I was truly honored to have the same team name as my mother. It only occurred to me that it was only reasonable that we would be called Team Possible because it was my name as well was that Chel pointed it out."

"She always was the one to keep me grounded when I got too full of myself. We were the primary team for 'evil genius' response, and we did our best to make sure that it always came out green. When the Temporal Enforcement Agency was started in '35 we were among the first chosen for roles in it. As it had been in our previous positions we shortly became one of the best at retrieval operations, or as they became known, T.E.A. Bag ops. It was during the beginning of our duties when I finally got the nerve up to ask Chel to marry me, the only thing she said besides yes was what had taken so long. I always was dense. Unbeknownst to us at the time, our successes were making us very unpopular with certain individuals, who began to make attempts on our lives, albeit unsuccessful ones. They finally caught up with us on a particularly difficult retrieval, turned out that they had planned this out. We had to split up to go after two different modifieds and that was when they struck. I heard Chel scream and then I was jumped by no less then ten fully modified cyborgs. I managed to hold my own for a minute before they overpowered me."

"When I regained consciousness I was chained up tightly, across from me was Chel. She had taken a beating and seeing her like that made me furious, I felt a rage start building in me that I had never felt before. I was trying to get free when I remembered the training I had from Sensei about the ability that I had inherited from my father and tried to bring the Mystical Monkey Power up from wherever it resided. About that time the ringleader showed himself, it was on of the agents from T.E. Who I had busted for attempting to manipulate the stream for his own monetary gain. He had sworn he would get back at me but I had not thought he would go this far. I realized just how far over the edge he had gone when he brought the gun out and put it against Chel's head. I begged him to stop, pleaded to let her go and just kill me. He said that he would kill me in due time but first he wanted me to suffer. The rage inside began growing faster tinged with something else, I could feel a power growing there as well. I tried to stall him, I told him I would do whatever he asked me to if he would just spare Chel. I meant it with every ounce of my being, he just laughed at me and told me that if I had anything to say now was the time."

"I looked Chel in the eyes and all I could think to say was that I loved her and I would see her soon. He just snarled and then pulled the trigger, what happened next I really don't recall with the greatest clarity. I remember the rage broke over me and I remember a glow. I heard this inhuman snarl and then the chains were falling away from me and I heard these screams. The men who were closest to me died before they know what was happening, those a few meters away tried to run but I was on them before they got more then a few steps."

"I couldn't see anything but Chel's face as she fell, the life already gone from those beautiful blue eyes of hers. The monster I had become craved the lives of those who had taken her from me and I did not deny it. I left her murderer until last, I wanted him to know that he had brought this fate upon himself and there was nothing he could do to escape it. I finally caught up with him, and found him cowering in a warehouse. He begged forgiveness, pleading for his life. He was given the same mercy he had shown Chel but his death was much slower. When I finally realized what I had done, I was horrified. I had become that which I despised, a murderer. I had taken the lives of people who, while deserving to be punished, did not deserve what I had done to them. After several minutes of being violently ill, I made my way back to Chel's body and activated our beacons; whatever fate awaited me back home I would face it head on."

Kale stopped talking as he broke down into tears after reliving the day he lost all hope in the world and had lost his reason for living. He didn't care what everyone thought of him now and as strange as he found it, he felt better in the telling of it to the people gathered around him then he had in a long time.


	10. Flashpoint

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible, Disney does.

Please, if you like what you are reading, leave me a review.

Chapter 10: Flashpoint

After several minutes of relative silence from the room Shego spoke up "I didn't mean to bring up something that was going to make a grown man cry, sorry."

Kim shot her a slightly withering look and turned back to Kale "Are you okey now?" she asked.

Nodding and clearing his throat, he smiled weakly looking back to Shego "Heh, I've been doing that a lot lately it would seem. No worries, it felt good to tell people about it, it's been almost four years since the last time and that was a department shrink."

He continued "So now you know who Chel is. Your turn to answer me, you seemed to know what the genetic markers in my profile meant so spill it."

At this everyone turned to look at Shego and she began to fidget being the center of attention. "What I can tell you is that for some reason you have the same markers as Team Go and ...myself."

She let the impact of that hang in the room for a moment then continued "How or why you have them is a mystery to everyone but from what I can tell you should have abilities like we do."

Kale slumped back and just stared at her before speaking "That's not possible, I know how Team Go got their abilities and I was never struck by...wait a minute...no way that had anything to do with it."

Dr. Director cocked an eyebrow as he started talking to himself and then asked "What had anything to do with what?"

Snapped out of his reflection of things Kale spoke up "Remember what I said about my first mission with Team Go? Well I remembered something that I had been doing before we went on the mission."

He turned to Shego "There was a piece of the comet that survived and that they kept in Go tower. Well I talked the twins into letting me see it, they knew it was inert and I guess they saw no harm in it so they got it out of storage for me to look at."

" I remember being fascinated by it. I was looking it over when the call came in about Aviarious, in the haste to get going I put the fragment in my pocket." He looked like he was seeing things for the first time as he spoke.

"After everything was said and done Team Go had their powers back..." he hesitated as a forgotten memory surfaced, then began again "I thought I had seen a slight glow from myself after the scepter broke but it was so brief I figured it was just my imagination. Afterwards, when we got back I couldn't find the fragment, I thought I had lost it in the fighting and confusion. I was so terrified that I was going to get in trouble for losing it that I didn't say anything when no one seemed to notice it missing. I just put the whole thing out of my mind."

Ron who had been listening intently chimed in "So you're saying that you may have gotten abilities from the fragment and didn't know it? How could you not notice a difference from before and after?"

Shego looked at Ron and just quipped "Smarter then you look sometimes Stoppable."

She then turned to Kale "He's right. How could you not realize you were different then before? When we were struck it was obvious pretty quickly that something had happened."

Kale pondered that for a moment "Well I really don't know. I was always training with Aunt Isabel and was constantly improving myself so I guess I just thought it was me just getting better. I never really noticed anything unusual about myself that I didn't attribute to my training. I was getting faster and did seem to heal faster then before but I was already so far advanced in training that I figured it was a by product of body control."

"I never did see anything like that glow again so I never thought about it. Thinking about it now, my guess would be that being in such close proximity with the scepter and all the powers of Team Go, the fragment was re-energized and that somehow it did to me what it did to them..erm... all of you. That might explain, and I mean might, what happened. It used itself up but didn't have enough material left for me to gain an ability." He said, lost in thought again.

Kim looked to Shego then to Ron and Betty "I think he should see the disc."

Kale sat up at this "Disc? What disc?"

"After you were brought in we set up surveillance on you, to make sure you didn't try anything." Dr. Director stated.

Kale simply nodded "I certainly understand that. Standard procedure, I'm not offended."

"Well you remember when your sheets were somewhat burned?" She asked and he shook his head yes. "This disc showed us what happened before you woke up, it was a bit of a shock."

"please let me see it." he asked, politely but obviously a bit eager to view what they had seen.

Betty placed the disc in the player and hit play.

As the footage of Kale tossing in his sleep finally showed the pale green flames flickering around his hands and then flared as he awoke played, Shego turned to look at him to find him staring at the screen, on his face a look of sheer terror.

Kim, noticing Shego starting to move towards Kale with a look of real concern on her face, looked and saw he was terror struck. "What's wrong?" She asked him.

"That glow...it's the same one..oh God no it's the same." came his terrified reply.

Shego almost smiled at that "The same one as with the scepter and you're this shaken up? Man, remind me to show you what I can do sometime."

Kale turned to her and simply stated "No not the scepter, it's the same glow I remember from when I lost control and murdered those men."


	11. Introspection Interrupted

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Kale Possible is my creation however.

Chapter 11: Introspection Interrupted

Shego was about to reply to the shaken man when there came a shudder from somewhere outside. The lights dimmed for a brief moment and then the klaxon alarm started.

"We are under attack! Repeat, we are under attack! Dr. Director to the command center! All agents report to duty stations!" came over the PA system.

"What the hell? Who would attack GJ headquarters this openly?" Betty said as she ran for the door.

"Team Possible report to your stations, we will continue with this later!" this from Kim, in full mission mode.

After everyone had left the room Kale continued to sit there lost in his own world, trying to make heads or tails of the information he had just been given. He still could not believe that he had received something like the ability he had used almost four years ago and had not realized it. He had always believed that power was from the MMP and so had vowed never to call upon it again. _"All this time it was in me and I didn't know it." _he thought. _"I don't want this power to hurt people."_  
A second, stronger explosion brought him back to reality. He could hear commotion outside in the corridors. There was a battle going on and he was moping. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and started looking for some gauze wrap and some pants. "Like I'm going to sit here when they could use every person they can get." he stated to no one in particular.

After wrapping his wound tightly and grabbing an extra pair of pants he had found in the room he opened his door carefully to assess the situation. What met his eyes was utter confusion, with people in GJ uniforms being overrun by a mix of people in black uniforms and what looked like female robots.

"_Game time."_

" _Remember, the guys in blue are your allies." _he mused to himself as he waded into the fray.

As he took down three of the robots with relative ease he attracted the attention of a group of what he assumed were to be ninjas by the look of their gear and stances. He just grinned to himself as he recognized their fighting style; Tai Shing Pek Kwar. "Oh, these guys are in for a shock." he quipped to himself as he dropped into a similar stance.

As they saw him move into a stance like their own, the ninja moved forward with the intention of showing this idiot just how stupid he was to try and beat them with their own style. They got a total of three hits in.

As the last one fell Kale grabbed him up off the floor and unmasked him. "Why are you here?" he demanded.

The ninja stared at the man who had so soundly beaten his squad and blinked "How did you do that? You move as though you were a master but we know of none but our own."

Kale practically growled his response "I will ask you as the one who has defeated you in fair combat, what is your purpose here? You had better be truthful and quick, I have no time for banter or falsehood."

The ninja cowed by the tone of his voice answered "We are here to free our master and were hired to free one Senior Senior Jr."

Kale's next response was one of purpose "Strip."

Doing as he was told the ninja shed his uniform which Kale promptly donned.

"A good thing we're of a size." he quipped "You and your fellows will follow these people here and will cause no further trouble or I will be back and I will finish what I started."

The ninja nodded his agreement and Kale turned to the GJ agents still standing "They are heading for the prison blocks, I will head that way now, you let Dr. Director know."

The head of the agents looked at the now done up Kale and asked "Who are you to give us orders, we saw you come out of the infirmary."

Kale just looked the agent in the eye and stated "You can give my name as Argent. You saw what I just did by myself, you and yours were falling left and right. I'm not asking you to trust me; I'm telling you to let command know what is going on!"

With that Kale took off in the direction of the prison, dealing with the few intruders he came across until he met with a large group almost to the main cells.

As he came up the leader of the group stepped up "Report."

"We came up against heavier then reported opposition, I was the only one to make it this far from the opening near the medical wing. Team Possible was there and I was able to slip past in the confusion." Kale stated hoping that this would explain why he was the only one to come this far besides them.

"Hum, Team Possible will not be a problem for much longer then. The Bebes are all loaded with explosives and since the majority are in the medical wing when I detonate them Team Possible will be no more!" the leader stated bringing up a detonator switch.

Kale moved faster then anybody assembled would have thought possible and struck the larger man hard enough to send him flying into the nearest wall.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that." he stated taking the small device, pocketing it. Turning to the rest of the group he made a quick and dirty count of at least thirty five._ "Well Kale, this is going to be rough. I hope I get some backup soon." _he told himself.

Picking himself up still slightly dazed, the leader shouted "Don't just stand there; kill the interloper!"

At the order the group advanced toward Kale and he began a dangerous dance of blades versus hands and feet.

Several painful minutes later over two dozen ninja were lying motionless on the floor and Kale stood there bleeding from several deep wounds and the now reopened side wound. The leader of the group, who had witnessed the fight had to begrudgingly give the man before him credit. He had never before seen one man stand up to so much punishment and continue to fight off overwhelming numbers, and he had done so with no weapons but his own hands and feet.

He finally spoke "Red headed warrior, it is obvious that you have great skill in combat but you are heavily injured and I still have ten men plus myself. You cannot think to stop us all before you fall from your wounds."

Kale, who by this time had removed his mask, simply laughed "I am still more of a danger to you and your men then you are to me. I would suggest that you stop this fight and surrender but I do understand that would just insult your honor and I have no intention of doing that. I would ask you to stop before I do something that we might all regret."

Before the leader could say anything else a green fireball hit him square in the chest, sending him back a few steps. From it's origin Shego called out "Hey, save some for the rest of us."

Kale shook his head at that and called back "You snooze, you lose." Looking back to the remainder of the group he had been fighting he stated "The odds are no longer in your favor, if you surrender now I will make sure that they are fair with you."

This enraged the leader who took something from his pouch and threw it at Shego. Taken somewhat by surprise at this, Shego reacted slowly and the explosive threw her and Kim, who had just come into view into the wall behind them.

Kale stunned by this turned towards the bigger man and could feel a familiar feeling creeping up his body. "They had better be alright, for your sake." he growled.

He heard Ron call out "This is agent Stoppable, I need medics down here now! Kim and Shego are down, both are unconscious and bleeding." Ron then looked around and spotted Kale staring at the two women, a look upon his face that warned of terrible things to come.

Kale, trying to keep himself in control after hearing Ron's assessment, turned back to the group and practically roared "YOU WILL SURRENDER NOW OR I WILL KILL THE LOT OF YOU!!"

The leader was about to attack the bleeding man when he got a look at what was occurring about him. A wreath of pale green flame seemed to have enveloped the red headed warrior and the look on his face sent an involuntary shiver down the ninjas' back. His warriors were affected in a similar fashion, none wanting to advance on the glowering and now glowing figure. The sound of approaching footsteps announced the arrival of over fifty heavily armed GJ agents and with that the resolve of the remaining ninja dissipated. As the figures in front of him dropped their weapons Kale started trying to force himself to dissipate the energy surrounding him.

He had almost gotten rid of it when a cry came from in front of him as the leader lunged toward him in an attempt to kill the man who had stopped the freeing of their master.

Kale reacted with well honed reflexes bringing his fist up in a strike that should have stopped the man in his tracks, instead to his horror and the shock of the larger ninja his fist sank into the man's chest with little resistance. Pulling back his fist the larger man fell and Kale immediately dropped to his side, his aura now gone, he attempted to stop the bleeding.

"I need a medic here now!" he screamed.

Looking at the ninja he whispered "I need you to stay with me, you are not ready to join your ancestors yet."

The ninja looked back at this man who he had just attacked out of rage and who had laid him low with a single strike and asked "Why would you do this for me? I meant to kill you and yet you try to help me."

"It is the honorable thing to do. That and I can understand why you did what you did." Kale stated "Now let these people help you and I will see to your men. I want your word that you will not give in to the reaper yet."

"You have my word he will not take me without a fight, sir." the ninja stated as the medics started to tend to the wound.

Kale next ran to where Kim and Shego were now leaning up against the wall. They were both awake and though a little worse for wear both had only suffered relatively minor injuries from the blast.

He slumped next to Shego as Ron was holding Kim and said "You guys gave me a scare there, I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to stop grenades with your body again."

Shego looked at him with a snide comment on her lips when she saw that Kale was just staring at her softly smiling. She then spied the new wounds all over him and called to the nearby medics "Hey, we need you to come stitch up time boy here before he makes more of a mess on the floor."

Kale looked down at himself and chuckled "It has not been a good week to be me so far, huh."

"So I take it Dr. Director got my message from that one agent then. That's good, I hope they weren't to hard on themselves for the shoddy close combat training they received. I was surprised they took the few down that they did." he said, sounding exhausted.

He was more or less talking out loud to himself and so didn't see the growing look of displeasure on Shego's face until she turned to him and growled "If you have a problem with their training you should take it up with the training instructor."

"I think I will." Kale said absently. "Do you know who I should talk to?"

"Yeah, me." Shego snapped.

Kale just hung his head _"Way to go moron."_ He chided himself.

Kim and Ron, watching the exchange between the two just smiled, Kim leaned over and whispered to her husband "Those two are going to get along great, provided they don't kill each other first."

Please, if you like the story so far leave a review.


	12. A Day Out Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 12: A Day Out Part 1

The next few days were relatively uneventful for everyone. Kale was confined to medical to heal properly, Shego and Kim had been in for the night and were released the following morning. Dr. Director was busy supervising the repairs to the building and had given Will Du the task of gathering information about the (thankfully) failed prison break. Ron had stayed the night with Kim and then they had gone home to be with Kale, their Kale.

As he lay in bed, Kale began to think about how he was going to fit in here, in this time. He did not have any desire to return but was beginning to wonder why there had been no retrieval attempt for him yet. They had to know he was here, so he pondered the implications of that.

Three days later he had counted all the dots in the ceiling and had come no closer to figuring out what he was going to do when Dr. Director paid him a visit.

"So how is our favorite time stranded patient doing today?" she asked, a bemused look on her face. She could tell that he was going stir crazy being in bed for too long.

Kale sat up straight, looked her in the eye and said "Ma'am, if I'm in here much longer I fear I might start trying to rearrange the floor tiles. I'm not used to being still for this long, I feel like I need to be doing something."

She just smirked "I've been reviewing the logs from the assault the other day and I must say I was quite pleased with the way you helped out. I've talked things over with several of my superiors and we think that you might be able to be trusted with a certain amount of freedom."

He stared back at her and laughed slightly "No offense but freedom to do what? I have no money, place to go, or anybody to go with. I am for all accounts stuck with what I showed up with. I don't think you need to worry about me bolting."

He continued "There is also the fact that I am, as you put it, time stranded. I am trying to not influence things more then I have just by being here. That being said; I would love to see outside the walls of this building."

Betty nodded her head at this and appeared to mull it over. After a moment see spoke up "Well, seeing as the doctor has stated that you are basically healed I will see what I can do to get you an escort for an excursion." With that she stood up and exited the room, leaving a slightly bewildered Kale behind.

About an hour later a somewhat disgruntled looking Shego entered the room with a bundle in her arms.

She tossed the bundle to Kale, who found it to be clothes. She shot him a withering look and grumbled "Come on Macfly, we don't have all day, Kim and Ron are waiting outside for us."

He heard her mutter under her breath "I don't see why Betty insisted I go along too."

He quickly donned the clothes and followed her out into the corridor, where Kim and Ron were waiting with little Kale.

Ron, seeing Kale quipped "Well at least you don't look like you've escaped from a jail. Sorry about the clothes, it was all I could find on short notice."

Kale just shrugged "Better then those stupid hospital gowns, those things I've always despised. So where are we going?"

Kim perked up at this "We have permission to go out wherever I see fit and I think the best place to go would be the mall."

Both Ron and Shego groaned slightly at this and Kale just looked at them, feeling like he was missing something important.

After getting outside the building and piling into a van, the group started out, Kale just marveling at the view as they went.

Shego, catching him gawking at everything decided to try and goad him "So first time outside or something? You keep that mouth open too long and the flies will find a new home."

Kale blinked, turning towards her and grinned sheepishly "Sorry, it has been a while since I made time to go out. I usually was doing missions or whatever else I could to occupy myself. I really haven't gone out to do much of anything since..." he trailed off for a moment. "Since Chel died. I guess I buried myself in work so I could have an excuse not to do anything."

Shego shifted uncomfortably "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories, sorry."

He shrugged "You didn't know, don't worry about it."

He suddenly got excited, pointing out the side window "Oh man, I haven't seen one of those in ages!"

Both Shego and Ron looked at what he was pointing at and saw a 2011 model Dodge Viper drive by.

Shego was about to say something but Ron beat her to the punch "What, the car? That's last year's model."

Kale had just caught himself bouncing like a little kid and laughed "Yeah, to you, to me that's a vintage classic. I'm probably going to do that a lot, sorry."

Kim, who was driving, laughed herself "We keep forgetting that you are from the future as well so it's no big."

Shego quipped "At least you've got some taste, there may be hope for you yet time boy."

After a bit more driving they arrived at one of the most crowded places Kale had seen in a long time. He marveled at how big this mall was compared to what he remembered of the one he and Chel used to go to.

As everyone got out Kim handed Kale a card "Betty said to give you this in thanks for your help the other day. She said and I quote 'Tell that man to get himself some clothes and something to do so he'll leave the floor alone'."

Kale saw the raised eyebrow from Shego and told them what he had said to Dr. Director earlier in the day.

They all laughed about that as they made their way into the mall. Kale looked over to Ron who had little Kale in a stroller and smiled to himself _"He looks like he's having so much fun. Don't you worry, I'm here to make sure nothing happens to your family this time."_

He was brought out of his thoughts by Ron who had spied the Bueno Nacho in the food court and hollered "Booyah! Kim I'm gonna grab a couple nacos, you want anything?"

Kale, looking at Ron bewilderedly, asked "What's a naco?"

Both Kim and Shego moaned "Here we go."

"Jinx!" Kim yelled and Shego silently fumed for a moment before breaking into a smirk.

Ron in the meantime was staring aghast at the prospect that Kale had never heard of the naco.

He began "The naco is only the best thing ever! I should know, I invented it."

He grabbed Kale by the arm and practically drug him over to the counter. He promptly ordered five of them.

When they arrived he handed Kale two orders and sat down with the remaining three. Kale eyed the, well he guessed he could call it food, and watched as Ron scarfed one. Seeing the other man not fall over he took a bite from one of the two on his plate. It actually wasn't all that bad, a bit rich but over all edible.

After they had finished eating, Shego suggested that they make there way over to Club Banana to get some clothes, and Kim readily agreed. As they entered the store Kim caught sight of both Monique and Bonnie and waved at them. They saw the group and came over to say hello.

"Kim, Ron how are you guys doing today?" Monique asked as Bonnie bent over to say hi to little Kale in the stroller.

"My goodness, he's getting so big. How have you been munchkin?" she cooed at Kale and he laughed happily at the attention.

She stood back up and spied Shego and Kale "Oh, hello Shego, how have you been lately? And who might your friend be?"

Kim giggled at how Bonnie always made Shego squirm when talking to her. "Bonnie, be nice. This is our friend Kale, he's visiting from...out of town and he lost his luggage on the trip."

Monique spoke up "Two Kales huh, that must make things a bit confusing."

Kale smiled "It was at first, so I just call him 'little Kale' so I can make sure I'm not the one being scolded for spilling the milk."

Kim looked to Kale then back to Bonnie "Do you think you could help him pick some things out Bon-Bon?"

Shego chimed in at this "He needs all the help he can get in the fashion department."

Kale, feeling that he had a potshot taken at himself could think of nothing but "Hey!" and look flustered.

Bonnie Laughed at the man's obvious blush and guided him towards some clothing racks "So how long have you known those three? I've been around Kim and Ron for a long time and I can tell when they are covering for someone."

As she handed him several things to try on Kale replied "I feel like I've known them forever but we really just met recently. They took me at face value and have been helping get my feet around here. I'm happy to know all of them, Shego included."

"Well she is a wily one, I'd be careful around her if I were you." Bonnie stated. "I think if I had left Monique alone with that woman she would have tried to make off with her too."

Kale looked at her "Huh? Why would you say that?"

Bonnie blinked, she had obviously said the last bit of her thoughts out loud "Don't mind me, I'm just rambling. Let's go see what you look like in these outfits." _"And see if we can get a rise out of that woman you seem to like." _She thought to herself as she caught sight of Kale looking at Shego for the tenth time since they started getting clothes.

After several minutes of trying different things out and swapping things around Bonnie nodded her approval and motioned to Monique to get everyone to look Kale's way as he emerged.

Kim just smiled and looked to the child in her arms "Well I know that when you get old enough you will have no problem getting dates." She whispered and kissed his head.

Ron for his part grinned and just stated "Looking sharp."

Shego had a hard time saying anything and everyone could see a blush creep up on her face as she tried to think anything other then _"Wow."_

Kale, seeing her blush made him slightly giddy himself and as he felt the blush reach his face he turned and hurriedly made his way back to the dressing room.

Bonnie and Monique looked at each other and burst out laughing at how Kale and Shego reacted to each other.

Snapped out of her shock by the laughter of the two, Shego looked at Kim with a evil smirk on her face and the other woman could tell she was up to no good.

"Shego, what are you thinking? I know that look." Kim asked as her friend got up and moved toward her.

"Let's show these two what hot looks like. What do you say?" Shego glanced at the two giggling women and then back to Kim.

"Oh you are so on. Ron hold Kale, we're going to get something real quick." Kim grinned and handed their child to the now befuddled man.

Kale had changed into something less stylish and emerged from the dressing room to find both Kim and Shego missing and Ron holding Kale. Making his way over he asked "So where did the ladies go?"

"Um, I'm not entirely sure myself." came Ron's reply.

Several minutes later both women emerged from their respective dressing rooms in dresses that left little to the imagination. Upon seeing Kim, Ron could do nothing but stammer, Kale grinned at the other man thinking _"You see her in less then this all th..." _Any further thoughts were driven from his mind as he caught sight of Shego and it became apparent to any who could see the two men that they were related as both had the same awestruck look plastered to their faces.


	13. A Day Out Part 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 13: A Day Out Part 2

Shego looked over at Kim and smirked "I think we broke 'em."

Kim giggling, looked to Monique and Bonnie and laughed harder "They're not the only ones."

As Shego looked at the two women just staring at them she said "I think we should probably change, otherwise we might drown in drool." and laughing so hard she could barely walk; made her way back to her dressing room.

Kim followed her lead and likewise returned to her own dressing room.

As Shego left, Kale could do nothing but stare and think _"So that's what mind control is like. I shudder to think what she could make me do looking like that."_ A small goofy grin came across his face as he thought of the possibilities.

The four people, gathering their wits about them, looked to each other and burst out laughing at how silly they must have looked, all gawking at the two females who were busy changing back into their normal clothes.

Bonnie leaned over and gave Monique a kiss and told her "Save those thoughts for later hon."

Monique blushed at that and then the blush gained a few shades when she realized that both Kale and Ron had overheard and were just grinning at the two of them.

Kale stood and came over to the counter with the clothes Bonnie had helped him pick out and handed her the card Dr. Director had given to him.  
As she took the card she asked "Can I see your driver's license?"

Kale was about to reach into his pocket for his ID when he blanched, remembering that not only did he not have any ID but that he couldn't have shown it if he did. "Um, I seem to have forgotten my ID at the house."

Bonnie laughed at that "Normally I wouldn't accept this without proper ID, but since I can tell Kim trusts you and this is a GJ card I'll let it slip."

After she ran the card she handed the receipt to Kale for him to sign and he did so without thinking. As she took the slip to put it in the register she noticed the signature. Her eyes widened briefly and then nudging Monique, handed her the slip while looking at Kale with a unreadable look about her. Monique took a look at the slip of paper Bonnie had handed her and then she too looked to Kale who by now had figured he had done something wrong.

He was about to ask what was the matter when Kim and Shego returned with Ron in tow to the counter as well. Kim noticed the looks on her friends faces and the bewilderment on Kale's. Monique, without saying a word thrust the receipt out towards Kim who, shocked at her sudden coldness, took it from her. Looking at it she saw what the two females were upset by, Kale had signed his name; his full name.

She looked to her friends, who were now staring at her, awaiting an answer and just sighed "Kale, you might want to get comfy, it looks like we've got some explaining to do." She handed the slip to Kale who by now at least somewhat knew what had happened just nodded.

Monique asked Bonnie to shut the store gate and put up a sign stating 'closed for employee meeting'. Once that was done, everyone gathered around in the back room of the store so they could bring Kim's friends up to date with why a strange man had the same name as her son and why they were okay with it.

After about an hour of the cliff notes version of what had happened in the past week and the ensuing questions, the two ladies looked hard at Kale and Monique spoke up "I trust Kim and Ron's decision, but if you do anything to try and harm them you will not be able to hide from us. Is that clear?"

Kale raised his hands in an 'I give up' gesture "Crystal, my dear lady. I feel the same way just so you know. I would do anything to keep them all safe and I do mean anything."

Bonnie turned to Kim "You really don't do anything halfway do you?" she said just shaking her head.

Kim grinned "You know me Bonnie, 'Anything is possible for a Possible'." she said, quoting the family motto.

Bonnie smiled and stated "Don't I know it." as she gently took hold of Monique's hand and squeezed lightly.

Kale, watching this spoke up "So how long have you two been together? You seem to make a great couple from what I have seen so far."

Everyone's mouths dropped at this. After regaining control of her vocal cords, Shego turned to Kale "Wow, way to go for the jugular there Sparky. Blunt much?" she said, astonished at his straightforward and, in her opinion, somewhat insightful observation.

He looked suddenly apologetic "I'm sorry, did I ask something I shouldn't have? I didn't mean to offend anyone, I think it's great if two people love each other that's all. You just look like a happy couple."

Monique was the first to speak "You didn't offend us, you just took us off guard. There are a lot of people that don't feel the same way you do, I wish there were more that did, it would make things a lot less stressful for people like us." she looked sadly at Bonnie and then to Kim and Shego. The two of them started fidgeting slightly.

Ron sensing this spoke up "I think we should get going, little Kale is getting restless and it is past his nap time."

Kim jumped at the chance to change the subject and readily agreed with her husband "Yeah we should get going." she turned to Monique and Bonnie "It was great seeing you two again, we'll try and not be such strangers."

The group stood and a now confused Kale did the same, trying to figure out why the dark hued lady had looked to his mom and Shego when she had said that and why they seemed slightly unnerved by it.

As they moved back out into the mall Kale's thoughts drifted on that a bit and he almost missed the hand that slipped into his pocket. Brought back by this he moved quickly and found himself holding the arm of a now wide eyed youth, his hand still in Kale's pocket.

"Find anything useful kid?" Kale said gruffly.

Stammering, the teen started pleading " I..I'm sorry mister! It was a dare! Please don't kill me!"

Kale looked around and spotted three other kids with worried looks on their faces nearby.

Shego and the others had by this time seen what was happening and saw that Kale was drawing some attention.

Kale meanwhile had removed the youths' hand from his pocket and smirked "You better be glad you didn't make off with anything. I'm gonna let this slide because I was young once too. However, I hear about you or your friends doing this again and.." he paused to point out Kim and the others "I will turn you over to those people over there."

The teen looked at where Kale had pointed and turned even more pale "That's Kim Possible! Oh man, I'm gonna get it for sure!"

Kale moved his other hand and brought the teens' own wallet up to his face "Besides, if your going to pickpocket you might not want to do it to someone who knows what they're doing." he let the teen go and tossed his wallet back to him. "Beat it before I change my mind."

Kim came over as the teens ran for the exit "Are you sure that was a good idea? They might try that again somewhere else."

"It's fine, they were beginners. I think they learned their lesson." Kale stated and just grinned as he saw Shego smirking.

"Wow Sparky, yet again I see potential in you. I didn't even see you take the kid's wallet." she said approvingly.

Kale mirrored her smirk. "I think you're forgetting who got past your security system with no one the wiser. I may be a member of law enforcement but I never said I was nice all the time."

Kim and Ron laughed at the verbal sparring between the two, Ron chimed in "I think Shego may have met a sparring partner in the 'I'm a better sneak' arena."

Shego just fumed and walked off in a huff and Kim started to follow her friend with little Kale in tow. She turned back to Ron "Why don't we meet back at the van in about an hour or so, you boys go do boy things for a while."

Ron took the hint and turned to Kale "We've been cut free for a bit, lets hit some fun stuff."

After a little while of just wandering around Kale spotted a martial arts store and headed in it's direction. He figured he needed a good gi for working out in and could probably pick up some practice weapons as well. He and Ron briefly browsed the selection before he found a few things he liked and this time had Ron purchase them so as not to have to go through the no ID trial again.

They found a couple benches open near the entrance and decided to wait there for Kim and Shego.

Kale turned to Ron and figured now was a good time to ask him the question that had been bugging him since the clothing store.

"Ron, I've a question for you." He stated flatly.

"Um, okay. Fire away." came the other man's reply.

"I've always been pretty good at reading people and I've been seeing things that have been confusing me lately. I was hoping you might shed some light on the matter." Kale started.

Ron, sensing something big was coming, nodded "Go on."

As Kale asked his next question, Ron's thoughts were confirmed.

"Were Kim and Shego ever a couple?"


	14. Old Memories and New Faces

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 14: Old Memories and New Faces

Ron turned to Kale and just looked at the slightly older man. "Shego was right, you really do go for the throat when you ask things."

Kale just smiled. "I never did like beating around the bush with things."

Ron shook his head in mock dismay "Do you want the short or long version?"

"Whichever you wish to relay is fine." came the reply.

"Okay then. The answer to your question is yes, they were a couple at one time. The how it came about and the why they aren't still together are a bit longer in the telling." Ron shifted slightly and then continued.

"It was about three months after the failed invasion of the Lorwardians that Kim and I had our falling out. I was still trying to get over how I felt about helping destroy them and it was forcing a wedge into our relationship. We broke up shortly after one mission went wrong and I froze during a critical moment. If it hadn't been for Shego, who by this time had taken a position at GJ along with Dr. Drakken...um Drew, Kim and I would have probably died. After we got back we decided that until I could deal with what I was going through, I was putting everyone in danger. I asked Shego to watch after her and left. I journeyed back to Japan to study with Sensei and to try and calm my inner turmoil and conflict so that I might be able to return and patch things up with Kim. While there I started hanging out with Yori again and before we knew it we were dating. How it happened was an accident, we had both recently been in relationships that had gone south and were hurting. One day we were telling each other about how things went wrong and one thing led to another." He looked at Kale who just raised an eyebrow at him.

"A rebound thing then. I can see how that could come about." Kale said nodding thoughtfully. He continued with the question, "So how did Kim react to it when she found out?"

"A lot better then I would have thought at the time, it was only a bit later that I learned that she and Shego had begun seeing each other about 2 months after I left. I was happy for her, but I was a bit jealous of Shego, I must admit. She seemed to make Kim happier then I had and I was upset that I didn't do better. As I dated Yori and continued my training we kept in contact, after about a year and a half I noticed they seemed to be having trouble. I guess it could be that they were both very strong willed and independent, but they had begun to fight about small things and I, being her best friend for so long, Kim started calling me more and more often after they had one of their fights." Ron stopped for a moment looking distant and then continued. "Yori and I had never really gotten serious with our relationship and as Kim called me more often she told me that if I needed to go to Kim that she would be fine with my decision. I guess I never really thought about staying in Japan forever and her saying that to me made me feel both better and worse. Better because I wanted to be near Kim in case she needed me but worse because I felt I had let Yori down by not being there for her one hundred percent."

"Not long after that Kim called me in tears, she and Shego had broken up. From what she could tell me it had gone badly and Shego had left after a screaming match between them and hadn't come back in almost a week. I told Yori what happened and she told me if I was not on the next plane home she would never speak to me again. I nodded in understanding and after letting Sensei know what had occurred he told me basically the same thing Yori had."

" I was on the next flight leaving Japan."

"After I got back I did what I could to help Kim deal with what she was going through. I could tell that losing Shego had hurt Kim greatly and so as her best friend I did what I could to help her get Shego back. We looked for her for almost two months before we found out that she had transferred to Global Justice's European branch. She wouldn't even talk to Kim about what happened but I managed to get her alone and got her side of things having heard Kim's already. She told me about how Kim was always comparing her to me and how she was sick of it. She knew we had been friends since pre-k and while she knew Kim really missed me, she felt that she should have been happy with her now. I tried to tell her that Kim missed her more then she ever missed me and she just laughed at me. She told me that she still loved Kim and knew that Kim still loved her too but that she couldn't compare to me in the deep areas of Kim's mind. She made me promise to take care of Kim and she informed me that if she ever heard of me treating Kim badly or hurting her feelings she would find me and then no one else would." Ron laughed to himself at remembering that.

Kale grinned, "It looks like she never had to hunt you down so that's good."

Ron smiled, looking at Kale for a long moment before continuing "We kept in contact after that but she would talk to me only saying it was still to hard for her to talk to Kim. Kim and I did get back together but it took a while, I let her have her space while she sorted out how she felt about everything. We started doing missions again and getting to know each other once again. After a few months we finally got back together, I let Shego know and she seemed happier then I had heard her in a while. I would find out from her later that she was happy to know that Kim was happy again. It was almost half a year later that we got the greatest surprise when we found out that Kim was pregnant. I finally got to do something I had wanted to do for a long time, I asked for her to marry me."

"She almost tackled me before saying yes." Ron stopped to wipe a tear from his eye, remembering the second happiest day of his life.

"As she started her second trimester we all insisted that she take time off till the baby was born, as you can imagine she didn't like that suggestion at all. It wasn't until Shego showed up that she finally relented. I had called Shego to let her know about how stubborn Kim was being and thought she was going to climb through the phone to either strangle me or help me keep Kim at home, I wasn't sure which. When she showed up she informed Kim that she would take over for her until after the baby was born and that there was no room for discussion on the matter."

"As we started doing missions together and started talking more about both our relationships with Kim, we gained a new understanding of each other. I told her that Kim still wanted her in her life and I told her that I could not think of a better Godmother for the baby."

"I still remember the look she gave me when I said that and what she said to me 'Who are you and what have you done with the buffoon?'" Both men laughed at that.

"It took little persuasion to talk her into staying on the team after the baby was born. Kim was beyond happy that she would have the both of us nearby, me as her husband and Shego as her best friend."

From behind them they heard Shego speak up "You make me sound like such a sap Stoppable."

The two men looked at Shego and Kim who had apparently been listening in for a few moments.

Kale spoke up "It was my fault, I asked him about somethings I had observed earlier. I really have very little information about any of you. Sorry."

Kim looked at him "That's okay, Shego and I were talking as well and we think that there are some people you should meet Kale. That and something we need to discuss on the way over there. So if you boys are finished I think now would be a good time to head out."

Kale blinked and nodded "Yeah I'm good. I am confused though, what people and what things?"

"Once we're in the van Sparky, now move." Shego nearly barked at the befuddled man who snapped a salute more out of habit then anything else and stood to walk out to the van.

After the group had gotten situated and Kim had started heading wherever she was going Shego turned to Kale "Do you remember the other day when we were all talking about stuff and Betty handed you that paper?"

Kale nodded "I didn't really get what was on it though. It was a fairly complex formula from what I could tell."

Ron, understanding what both Kim and Shego were talking about asked "What do you know about quantum states?"

"Well there is a theory about quantum flux that we had to get to know for T.E. but I don't remember a whole lot about it. It had something to do with the T.A.S.D.M. possibly causing a dimensional rift but only if certain other forces reacted with it at precise intervals." Kale looking at the others saw that they had pensive looks and began to get a nagging feeling in his gut. "Why would you ask me something like that?"

"After you were brought into GJ headquarters Wade and Drew started studying your equipment. They had determined that it was so far in advance of anything we do have that they started doing other tests and one of them was a quantum scan." Kim hesitated and then continued "Both your equipment and you have a different quantum signature then anything else here."

Kale stared at the other three blankly for a long moment. "Can you get in touch with Wade or Drew right now?"

Shego turned and pulled a communicator out, activating it she spoke " Wade, are you available? Kale wants to talk to you."

"I'm here, go ahead." came the reply.

Shego handed the comm to Kale "Wade, are you near my recall beacon?"

"Yes actually. I was getting ready to run some more tests on it. Why?" Wade answered.

"_Crap."_ Kale thought to himself._ "I really hope I'm wrong about this."_

"I need you to look at the readout on it. Does it have a blinking amber light on in the lower left corner?" Kale sounded a little desperate and the group in the car could tell something was wrong.

A bit of shuffling could be heard and then "Yes, yes there is. Is that important?" Wade paused "Is it dangerous?"

Kale's shoulders slumped at the confirmation of his fears. "No, it's not dangerous. That light means the battery has been almost completely discharged. Thanks for the help Wade." with that Kale handed to comm back to Shego and sighed heavily.

Ron looked at Kale "Are you okay? Please let us know what's wrong."

Kale lifted his head and looked around "I've told you that the beacon creates a small tachyon pulse for the recall, the battery that it has is capable of about three pulses before it requires recharging. I had charged it fully before I was sent on this mission."

He let that hang in the air for a moment "If it is completely drained that means that it had a major draw on the battery. If your findings are correct then I can think of only a couple reasons why. One is that it took damage during the fight between Shego and I. The other is that, and I hope I'm wrong on this one I really do, it discharged in an attempt to stabilize the rift I stepped through."

Shego raised an eyebrow "What does it mean if it did?"

Kale shifted, uncomfortable with what it could mean "Things I'd rather not think about until I can get confirmation one way or the other."

The van came to a stop and Kim turned the engine off "We're here. Let's continue this discussion later." with that she got out and opened the side door to get little Kale out.

After everyone had gotten out and situated they headed for the front door of a nice house that the others seemed to be happy to see.

Kim got to the door and knocked. A moment later it opened and two people stepped into view, one of which looked like an older version of Kim herself.

"Hi mom I thought I would stop by and say hi. I also brought someone who I thought you should meet." Kim said as she stepped aside and waved her free hand at Kale. "Mom, dad, This is Kale. Kale these are my parents Doctors James and Anne Possible."

As he stared at them Kale's mind was racing _"No this can't be happening! If they are here that means I was right. No nononononono..."_

Outwardly Kale blanched, looked to Kim then her parents and then did the only thing he could think of. He turned and ran for all he was worth.

As he took off at a full run from everyone his mind was putting the pieces of things together that now made sense. _"That was why there has been no recovery attempt, why I'm still here. I'm never going to see home again. Why, why did this have to happen?"_

Shego had taken off after him as soon as she had recovered from the sudden change in Kale's behavior.

"What the hell Sparky! Get back here! When I catch you I'm gonna hurt you good!"

From behind her she heard Ron, who had also given pursuit "Let's just stop him first Shego. I think something seriously spooked him."

It was Shego who found him first about half an hour later. He was balled up against a tree just staring off as if seeing something no one else could.

She approached him furious with having to track him down and fully intending to thrash him good when he looked up at her looking like someone had just told him the worst news in the world. Taken aback she leaned down next to him "Are you okay? You gave us quite a scare back there." The anger gone from her voice.

He spoke weakly "I'm sorry about running away but I couldn't stand there any longer. Everything you have said is true, I know that now. When I saw Kim's parents it all hit me at once." He faltered, sighed and continued "You asked before about what it could mean if the beacon discharged attempting to stabilize the rift, it means that it was attempting to keep the rift open and active. If the beacon discharged like that it means the rift was collapsing."

He stopped and looked Shego straight in the eyes "I've seen what happens when a rift goes unstable during a transit, they pull out the mop and bucket because that's all thats left. The reason there has been no retrieval attempt is that there is nothing to retrieve. It means I'm dead."


	15. Finding Footholds

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 15: Finding Footholds

Shego looked at the man before her for a long moment before doing something she knew was probably in poor taste, she reached out and flicked him in the forehead. "I don't know Sparky, you seem pretty solid for a ghost." light sarcasm in her voice and a smile on her face.

Kale blinked and looked at her as he rubbed his head. "I realize that, O' wise and insightful one." he glared back at her, annoyed. "I meant that they would see what happened and assume I was nothing more then another stain."

"I know, but I had to do something to get through that funk of yours." she calmly explained.

She reached out her hand "Come on, we need to head back to the house so everyone can calm down. I'm sure Kim is worried about you."

Kale took her hand and got up "You are probably right." he paused for a second as they started walking, "Why did you come after me? I haven't been anything but a burden to you since I showed up and yet you were the first to find me."

Shego looked over at him "Believe it or not I understand some of what you are going through. There's that and the fact that I know Kim, she wouldn't bring you here if she didn't trust you. That's good enough for me."

Kale laughed a bit more to himself then out loud. "Do you know why I ran? I was overwhelmed with a lot of different thoughts ranging from how unfair this all was to something I had not even thought of before. I am free now, free from having to worry about how I was affecting my past just by being here. I know now that this isn't my history and in a way that is liberating. I don't now what is going to happen any better than anybody else. My past is not this future, I can be normal here, well normal enough I guess."

Shego was quiet as she looked at how Kale was relaxing as he talked, as if the weight of the world were being lifted off his shoulders for the first time.

He felt her gaze and felt a small blush start to rise "I've a question for you." he turned to her.

She caught his head movement and quickly found something else to be staring at when he finished turning to look at her. "I'm listening." came her reply.

"I was hoping that I might ask you to help me train in the use of these new abilities of mine. I realize that I am going to have to learn to control them or I will be nothing but a danger to anyone near me. That and I could use a sparring partner that can keep up with me." This last part he said with a bit of a smirk.

She glared at him "Keep up with you? You seem to forget who stomped you a new one Red."

They had come into view of the house, Ron was at the door when Kale turned to Shego and acting on sheer impulse "Now whoever said anything about fighting." he winked at her and then turning towards the house goosed her and broke into a full run "Open the door before she kills me!!" he yelled at the other man, who had seen what had just transpired and whose mouth was agape.

Shego stood there, stunned at what had just happened _"He goosed me...HE GOOSED ME!!"_ "I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!" She screamed as she ran after the fleeing red head, not noticing the faint blush that had taken hold on her face.

Kale was laughing harder then he could remember in a long time. _"I can't believe I just did that! She's going to flay me alive but I will die with a smile on my face." _He sped through the now open door, thanks to Ron and found several surprised and shocked pairs of eyes on him as he quickly took cover behind a chair in the living room.

As Shego stormed in with Ron on her heels, now also laughing at the absurdity of what had just happened, Kim turned to look at the furious pale green woman with a look of death in her eyes "What happened to you?" she saw that Shego was focused on Kale and looked to the man now trying to not laugh and fall out from behind the safety of the overstuffed recliner he had ducked behind. "What did you do?"

"I.. I couldn't help myself." he got out between gasps of air, "She really is cute when she blushes." He slapped his hand over his mouth at that admission, his own face practically burning with a bright red blush. _"Great, the brain to mouth filter is busted."_ he thought to himself then looking at the furious and now heavily blushing Shego _"I am so dead."_

Ron, regaining his composure, stepped in front of Shego and tried to calm her down while filling everyone in on what he had just seen. "I was standing at the door when these two came into view. I saw that they were talking and then he said something that got her riled. After that he turned towards me and goosed her before fleeing at high speed towards the door."

Kim turned and looked sternly at the blushing red head "Kale Drago Possible! Is this true?" This caught those who had been uninformed of current events staring at Kale and then Kim.

Kale removed his hand and hung his head "Yes ma'am." He knew a scolding when he heard one.

James was the first to recover from this "Kimberly Anne Possible! I want to know what is going on this instant!"

Her mother took James hand and then looked at the two red heads. "I think it would be best if we all sat down to hear this."

Shego, having calmed down enough to see that Anne was not making a request found a seat near Kim and Ron sat on the other side.

Kale picked himself up and sat in the chair he had just used as cover. "I guess I should start at the beginning of how this started, huh?" he asked looking to the others sitting about the room.

They just nodded at him, well most did, he noted. Shego still stared at him as if trying to bore holes through his skull with those beautiful emerald eyes.

The story took about two hours to tell in a mostly complete manner including the information he recently worked out after running away from the house, with Kale having to endure withering stares from Kim's parents after telling of their first meeting.

After he finished he looked around the room and just leaned back in the recliner realizing just how tired he was after everything was said and done.

Both Anne and James looked at their daughter and then both the little boy in her arms and the man sitting across from them. James started "This is amazing, so there is no way for you to get back then?"

"Not as far as I know, sir." Kale looked at the older man with resignation. "In a way I'm happier this way. I can just be me now. Of course now I have to figure out what I'm going to do and then there's the fact that there is no record of me. I don't think I could pass as an eleven month old." He grinned at the thought of walking into someplace dressed in a jumper and shook his head.

Anne spoke up after some thought "So you have nowhere to go then do you?"

Kale shook his head no, and sighed.

After looking to her husband and her daughter Anne stated "Then you should stay here. We have a spare bedroom and would like to get know more about you."

Both Kale and Shego were about protest this for different reasons when Kim spoke up "Are you sure mom? I was going to see if he wanted to stay at our house but it is a bit small for four. I will still need to clear it with Dr .Director but I don't think she would be adverse to the idea."

Both her parents spoke "Of course it's okay." James continued " I would love to talk to you about some of the advancements you've seen and the boys would love to talk to you as well."

Kale's eyebrows shot up at this "Boys? What boys?"

Anne answered "Why the twins of course." Seeing the bewilderment on his face she paused "You didn't know about them did you?"

Kale shook his head "There was never any mention of Kim having any siblings in my reality." He blinked "Do you realize how weird that sounds?"

"Trust us Sparky, it's just as odd for everyone else." Shego quipped. She had finally calmed down and was now trying to think of a way to get him back for earlier.

Kale looked at her and smiled for no particular reason.

James began to pick Kale's brain about all sorts of different things and Kale answered the questions as best he could, amazed that these people would so readily take to someone who had been unknown to them so short a time ago.

About an hour later, Anne with Ron and Shego's help, served dinner. Kale was set between Anne and Kim, more to keep Shego from trying to get back at him then anything.

As he sat at the table with all these people, who less then a week ago he had never met, he could not but help feel a pang of sorrow that in his own time and place those people who knew him would be mourning his passing.

He shook that thought from his mind as he looked around and saw the way everyone was interacting with one another, like a big family.

He couldn't help but smile.

After dinner he helped with the cleanup, and then helped Ron get little Kale put to bed as Kim was talking to her mother about everything that had recently happened.

When everyone had gathered back in the living room, Kale stood and turned to face the group that now looked at him. With an earnest look in his eyes he spoke "I have a strange request to ask of you, all of you."

Seeing the look in his eyes Shego answered "Nothing too odd I hope."

He sank to the floor on his knees and spoke softly "My name is Kale Possible, I am a stranded time traveler and I seem to have misplaced my reality. Do you think I could find a place in yours?"

As he sat there everyone looked to each other, smiled and said almost in unison "Yes."

Kim and Ron came over "We may have met under less then perfect circumstances but you are always welcome at our home."

Both the Doctors Possible spoke "You may not be our Kimmie's child but you are a Possible none the less and we will always be here for you as a family."

Shego spoke last. "Face it Sparky, you're stuck with the lot of us; for better or worse."

Later that evening everyone retired to their respective bedrooms, Kim and Ron had taken her old room with little Kale, Shego had taken the spare room and so Kale had taken one of the beds in the twins room since they were apparently off on a trip of some sort.

Kale was again having what for him was a regular happening, the nightmare of losing Chel.

He watched things unfold as they always did and waited for the fateful shot to ring out, it never came. Instead he felt a hand on his shoulder and the chains falling away from him, looking up he found Chel standing there smiling at him.

As she looked at him he heard her voice "I think it's time you stopped torturing yourself with things you had no control over."

Kale shook his head "but I let you die! If I had only done something different then I could have saved you or at least been the only one to take the punishment."

She smiled at him sadly "You always were too stubborn to listen to reason once you set your mind to something. Even if you had gotten me to stay at base when you went, that would have left me alone feeling the same way you have you dope."

He slumped his head " I never thought about that. I am dense sometimes, huh?"

"At least you learn sometimes. You have a second chance now, take it. Be happy and live your life, if not just for you then for us." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

He stared at her as something dawned on him "you're really here aren't you? This isn't just a dream."

"No, it's not just a dream. I've watched over you ever since that day, watching you tear yourself apart. I want you to stop doing that, you've been given a chance to live again and with people who will be there for you through thick and thin. I like this lady you've been flirting with, she could definitely keep you on your toes." She said, ruffling his hair.

Kale, with tears in his eyes spoke "I could never think of replacing you, I love you."

She gave him a slight swat to the back of his head "I know that silly, but I'm not there and she is. I'm not telling you to replace me and I know you still love me. What I am saying is live your life and follow your feelings. I will still be here when the end comes and I will be fine if I have to share time with someone else. I'm going to go now. I want you to promise me you will stop remembering me as I died and start remembering me as I lived. You will get much better rest and maybe even realize that others feel the same way about you."

" One last thing, don't worry about everyone back home, things are fine there. You're just going to have to trust me on this one." Chel said as she faded away.

Kale felt himself drifting away but instead of feeling bad about Chel leaving, he was at peace with her words. Throughout the rest of the night his dreams were of how they had gone on their picnics and other peaceful things, and even a couple of dreams of Brianna, he wondered how those got there but was happy none the less.

Please R&R Thanks


	16. Proving Grounds

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 16: Proving Grounds

Kale awoke the next morning feeling for the first time in several years as though he had actually gotten real rest. He was calm and he felt as though a large weight had been removed from his being. He lay in bed for a few minutes going over what he remembered from the dreams the night before, even though he could not say if it had actually happened or if it was his own mind finally getting fed up with him, he felt he had reached a form of resolution.

His thoughts then crossed back to something else he had been dwelling on, his feelings for Brianna.

He wasn't sure but he felt that he might be falling for the beautiful woman who had caught his attention.

"_She is smart, can certainly keep up with me combat wise and is a spitfire with that wit."_ he mused.

He also realized that she had been, and in all probability still was, in love with Kim.

That thought made him shake his head "I don't think I can compete with her." he sighed.

Finally opening his eyes he looked around the room he was occupying and just marveled at the fact that this was Kim's brothers' room.

He lay there still amazed at the course the previous several days had taken.

"I find out that I am now stuck twenty seven years in the past and that it's not even my past to get stuck in. Then I meet people that I could have never fathomed meeting and to top it all off they accept me into their family with such ease that my head is still spinning. I find myself infatuated with a woman who in my time-line raised me for almost two years, but I don't mind that." he said, not realizing that he was speaking out loud though softly.

He continued his self analysis "I come to find out that what I thought was the MMP that I inherited from my father was in fact most likely gained from a reactivated piece of the comet that gave Team Go their abilities, and that for some reason they are similar to Brianna's. I still need to see if she will be willing to help me train in how to control that."

He smiled to himself "That is if she still doesn't feel the need to maim me for what I did yesterday. I honestly don't know why I did that but it felt good. I can't help thinking about her eyes and the way she holds herself."

A knock at the door brought him back to reality "Hey Sparky, let's get the lead out. We've got a big day ahead of us and the sooner we get started the better."

"Give me a couple minutes" he called as he got out of bed searching for his clothes.

He grabbed the other set of clothes he had acquired and opened the door to find the bathroom to take a shower.

After he had bathed and changed he made his way through the house to the kitchen to find Shego having coffee.

"That smells wonderful, is there anymore?" he asked.

She just pointed towards the pot and seeing him looking around "The mugs are in the middle left cupboard."

Finding what he was looking for he poured himself a cup and sat down at the table.

He then noticed how quiet it was "So where is everyone?" he inquired.

"Kimmie and Ron got a call from base so they dropped Kale off with Ron's parents and both the Doctors Possible went to work." Shego answered with a half smile that Kale failed to notice.

Running this information over in his head he looked to the pale woman "So what do you have planned for today?" he asked somewhat apprehensively.

"What do you mean?" she replied a little to innocently for Kale's liking.

"You stated 'we have a big day ahead of us' and since no one else is here that would imply you and me. I know you still want to get me back for yesterday and with no witnesses I am a bit worried for my health." he stated flatly, then broke into a grin. "Not that I can't handle myself mind you."

Shego stared at the red head at the table unable to figure out if she should be amused or upset that he had figured out that she was indeed planning to get him back for the goosing and comment about her being cute when she blushed. Finally she decided to side step that for the moment.

"We are heading to Go City to see about that power of yours. Go tower has all the equipment we will need to figure out what you can do and I figure I could always just drop you off with my annoying brothers and go shopping for a bit." She grinned back at him.

The grin widened as Kale shifted uncomfortably at the prospect of being left alone with Hego and the others once they found out that he too had a 'Go Glow' as it had become known.

"It sounds like you still have a bit of an evil streak in there." Kale quipped, a smirk playing across his face as he regained some composure.

"And don't you forget it buster." came her answer. "Now then if you are all set we should get going."

Finishing his coffee he held his hands up in mock defeat "You win this round. So how are we getting there?" he asked, remembering that Kim had driven them here last night.

"Drew left us one of his old hovercraft to use." Shego stated as they left the house and headed for the craft that was parked there waiting for them.

After they had boarded and settled in, she got the small craft underway.

Kale was just staring off enjoying the view of the ride and every so often he glanced over to the raven haired pilot to just take in that view as well.

The third time he did so he was caught in her emerald eyes as he turned and he just stared back, his brain unable to think of anything else to do.

"Making sure I'm not gonna do something Sparky?" Shego said as she caught the man in her stare.

He shook his head no but could not break eye contact.

"You keep looking over here nervously for something Sparky, what is it?" she asked finally looking at the control panel.

The spell that held him broken, he stared at his feet "I'm just nervous that I'm gonna screw something up with this learning how to control this ability of mine." He hoped she would not question his partial lie.

"_Why can't I just say what I want to? I never have this kind of hesitation."_ He thought. _"You just don't what to chase her off by being stupid. That and you know that she is still in love with Kim and you can't compare to that."_ He answered himself.

Shego looked at the red head as he brooded over something to himself _"Does he even realize how much like Kim he is?"_ she wondered to herself.

As she flew towards their destination she thought about what she had inadvertently heard him talking to himself about earlier at the house. She hadn't meant to overhear him but just as she was about to knock she heard him talking about the comet powers and then her eyes..

"_I don't think he knows he talks to himself out loud. After hearing what he was talking about I don't know how I should feel. It's obvious that he likes me but he has yet to make another move like yesterday."_ she thought to herself, wondering why she felt a little disappointed at that last thought.

The rest of the flight went in silence and they soon found themselves in Go City.

Kale stared at the city he had grown up in and marveled at how much and at the same time so little would change.

As they approached Go Tower he felt a twinge of familiarity well up as he remembered all the times he had.. no scratch that, would be here. _"But not here, here. Man, this is just confusing to remember that I'm not from this dimension."_ he grumbled to himself.

After they landed and disembarked they made their way to the doors of the tower and the scanner that allowed only someone with a 'Go Glow' to open them.

Shego lit up her hand and the doors opened allowing them entry.

As they made their way towards the command room Kale, lost in his thoughts, was navigating by pure memory.

Shego watched him move like someone who had lived in the tower for years and even though she had listened to all the stuff he had told them this proved to her more then anything that he really could have been telling the truth. When they arrived, Hego, Mego and the Wegos were all there waiting for them.

Hego came over and beamed at his sister "Bri, I'm glad to see you. Still doing good deeds I see."

"Marty, I thought I told you never to call me that." Shego growled at her brother and took a threating step forward.

Kale just smiled at the sibling bickering that transpired before looking at the others assembled.

He noted that they really looked almost no different from how he remembered them "I guess they were right after all, the comet's powers really do help slow down how you age." he absently said out loud.

This caught everyone's attention "Shego, who is this?" Mego asked, sounding slightly annoyed at being the object of a random statement from an unknown person.

"That would be the million dollar question right there, Jules." Shego said as she put her hand on Kale's shoulder and looked at everyone. "Boys, I'd like you to meet Kale, Kale Possible." She let that sink in for a moment.

The Wegos caught it first "You mean that.."Nick started.

"..he's related to Kim?" Travis finished.

Nick:"Why did she name her.."

Travis:"..son after him?"

Shego smiled at her little brothers' habit of finishing each other's sentences.

"She didn't. This IS her son, in a manner of speaking." she stated with a smile at having stumped her siblings with this information.

Hego shook his head for a moment "I don't get it, you mean he's a clone maybe?"

Kale looked to Shego "I think I should get cards printed up 'stranded time traveler and dimension hopper'. It would be so much easier then having to explain all of this all the time."

She laughed at his joke and elbowed him slightly "You're gonna take all the fun out of me tormenting them aren't you?"

Kale just looked at the ceiling and whistled.

"Spoilsport." she grumped.

Mego, during this exchange just stared at the two of them.

After they were done he spoke up "Is what he just said true sis?"

Shego nodded "Yup as far as we can tell it is. I have been watching him and he has done some interesting things that have lead me to believe him. That and he seems to know this place inside and out like he's been here a lot."

This tidbit got Kale a lot of interested and slightly perplexed looks from the members of Team Go.

Kale sighed "I suppose I really should tell you everything that has happened so far so we can get past it." He looked to the other men assembled then at Shego who just shrugged and gave him a 'better you then me' look to which he rolled his eyes.

An hour and a half later he finished the shorthand version of the events that led him to where he now was.

The group just stared at him for a moment and then Hego spoke up "So you attacked Kim Possible in her own home?"

Kale just leaned forward and rubbed his temples with his left hand "After everything I said, THAT is what you dwell on?" he asked slightly exasperated.

Shego snorted at that "He always was dense, you should know that."

He nodded "I was hoping it was just him being older but it looks like he's always been denser then white dwarf star material."

This garnered slight laughs from the twins.

Mego, laughing slightly as well "So you were raised by mom huh? Can you prove it because I would love to see this."

"If you've a training facility set up I can, yes." Kale replied.

"I would like to see this as well." Came a voice from behind him that Kale knew immediately.

Shego whirled around "Mommy! When did you get here?"

"I've been present for the entire story. How have you been firefly?" Isabel asked her daughter.

"Mommy, please stop calling me that. You know I hate that nickname." Shego huffed for a moment before hugging her mother.

Kale just stood there looking at the women before him, marveling at the fact that they could be twins but for the alabaster skin that Brianna had been gifted with.

Shaking himself from the stupor of his thoughts he spoke "I would be honored if you were to verify what I have said ."

Isabel smiled "Oh I intend to do more then watch. I will be sparring against you."

Kale bowed "It will be my honor to spar against you then."

Shego rolled her eyes "You have no idea how big you have made her ego. We'll be lucky to get her out of the building now."

Several minutes later everyone had assembled in the training facility to watch Kale and their mother spar.

Shego, having seen some of what Kale was capable, laid a bet that he would last at least three full minutes with their mother.

It was a bet the others took knowing how well their mother fought.

As both fighters did warm up katas, Isabel noted that Kale did in fact seem to know something of her styles by the way he was preforming his stretches.

They took up their positions and the match began, both sizing up the other. Kale made the first move which was countered easily by his opponent.

She then came in with her own attack and Kale parried with ease.

This went on for a full two minutes and then they started in earnest.

Both of them flowed through motion after motion, each deftly avoiding the other until Kale spied an opening and Isabel found herself in a very unfamiliar vantage point, staring at the ceiling.

She quickly regained her footing and pressed her attack, putting Kale on the defensive.

They were moving with such speed that no one save Brianna had any hope of keeping up with the action, and she watched in awe of how well matched they were.

Any doubt that Kale had not been trained by Isabel had by this time left everyone's mind but the two kept sparring for another fifteen minutes before Kale slipped up and found Isabel's fist on his face and then the wall with the back of his head.

As he got up he was grinning from ear to ear "That is the best match I have had in years."

He bowed deeply to the older woman "I never could keep up with you. I thank you for the match."

Isabel smiled and returned the bow "You are by far the best opponent I have faced for a very long time, I do hope to do it again sometime."

She then turned to Shego "You could learn a couple things from him firefly. Respect being one of them."

Shego just humphed and crossed her arms.

Isabel turned back to Kale "I can say that without a doubt you have been my student even though I have never before met you. I think that lends a credit to your story that I would have an otherwise hard time believing. I will let Betty know what I have learned. You have a good day Kale and anytime you feel like sparring just let me know."

With that Isabel left the room and Kale felt a warm feeling wash over him _"Even though I am so far __away from home I still feel I have found where I belong, finally."_ He thought to himself, smiling.

He looked to the others "Well now that I am warmed up, how about we try to figure out what that chunk of rock gave me, what do you say?" he smirked.

The men just looked at him like he had sprouted a third arm from his forehead "I have never seen anyone last that long against mom and you act like nothing happened." Mego stated.

Hego nodded his agreement and the twins spoke in unison "That was awesome! Hey Shego, he did better then you."

Shego glared at that "Yeah, right. I could take him anytime I wanted to and he knows it."

Kale raised an eyebrow at that but wisely kept his mouth shut.

Instead he asked her something else "Shego, would you help me with trying to find out how to summon this ability I have hiding in me?"

She blinked at him, slightly taken off guard by the fact that instead of refuting her claim he was asking her for her help. "Um yeah, okay."

The others gathered at the computers used for assessing the teams abilities during training and waited to see what would happen.

"Okay then, you know how to center yourself already. This will be similar, I want you to close your eyes and feel for what should seem like a pool of energy."

Kale did as instructed. After several moments he found what he felt was what she was describing "I think I found it. Now what?"

"Now comes the fun part. I want you to think about bringing that to the surface of your skin, like you would do with your Chi. Do it slowly we don't want any unwanted flares." She spoke calmly with a hint of humor.

Kale, concentrating on the pool began to imagine it flowing around him, the energy around him felt warm and inviting.

He felt comforted by it which, by what had happened the few times this had come forward on it's own, was odd to him.

"_Maybe because it is because I am bringing it forth willingly it feels different."_ he surmised to himself.

He could now feel it settling over his whole body, he felt safe, as though he were protected.

Shego spoke up at this point "What is going on here?"

Kale, confused by her question, queried "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"Um Kale, what happened to your glow?" came her somewhat startled response.  
He opened his eyes at that "What do you mean?" he asked.

Only then did he see his hands and arms.

They were wreathed in a pure pale yellow glow, there was no trace of the green that he had seen the previous times the power had come forth.


	17. Multi Faceted Confusion

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 17: Multi Faceted Confusion

As he stared at the glow that now enveloped him, Kale wondered what it could mean.

Shego was at a loss as well, the last two times she had witnessed him light up it had been a pale version of her own glow, not this new color.

Hego was the first to break the silence that had fallen over the two people in front of them "What is that matter? I thought we were here to see what your power did?"

Shego, roused by her sibling's comment looked at the others "The only color that Kale remembers and what we saw at GJ headquarters was a pale green glow that looked a lot like my power. This is something different."

She looked at the man before her with concern as he not moved at all and was in what appeared to be shock "Kale are you all right?"  
When she got no response she started to move towards him "Yo, Sparky. Are you okay?"

As she reached out to shake him Kale jumped back.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!!" He yelled as he backed away from her, his eyes wild.

When he saw the shock on her face, he calmed down slightly "I'm sorry. I don't know what this does yet." he stated demurely, waving his arm at himself. "I don't want to accidentally hurt you with anything I do."

He looked at her _"I couldn't bare to hurt her."_ He thought to himself.

Shego stared at the man who was now a good six feet from her looking like he had just run over someone's pet.

Mego, watching the interaction between the two had begun to see something that he would have to bring up later. _"He really cares about her. I don't know if she sees it yet but he does. I think she might like him too. Interesting." _He thought smugly to himself.

Kale, gathering his wits about him, looked to the others "I know this place has some blast barriers. I think that until we can figure out what I can do it would be advisable to put them up and for everyone to get behind them."

Shego scoffed "If you think I'm going to hide behind something while you try and see if you go boom when you activate whatever it is you have guess again. I plan to keep an eye on you so you don't get in trouble Sparky."

He shook his head and smiled weakly "You are as stubborn as I'd always heard. Please, Shego just get behind the barrier. Kim would have my hide if anything happened to her best friend and you know I would do nothing to stop her."

They stood there while Mego brought the barriers online and then Kale looked Shego directly in her eyes "Please Brianna, get behind the barrier. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Taken aback by the fact that Kale had not only called her by her first name but had done so with a look that spoke of feelings, feelings for her; she let herself be escorted behind the barrier by her brothers.

Once everyone had taken their places Mego spoke "Okay Kale, I am ready to record and analyze what you can do, anytime you're ready."

Kale nodded and started to concentrate on pulling more of the energy he could feel inside him to the surface.

As he stood there everyone could see the aura surrounding him start to undulate and expand.

Soon it was surrounding him in a globe about ten feet in diameter, slowly pulsating and slightly crackling with energy.

Mego, looking at the data coming onto the screen blinked as he had a sudden thought, a thought that might be very bad.

"Bri, when was the last time he discharged?" he asked his sister.

Shego looked to her brother with a grimace "How should I know? There was the time a few days ago that he flared up and then a couple days before that in his sleep, why?"

He looked to her, his brow furrowed with concern "These readings indicate his ability is definitely energy based, like yours is. What happens when you don't discharge for a long period of time?"

Shego's eyes grew wide as the implications of what her brother was saying sank in.

She turned to Kale, yelling "KALE, SHUT DOWN NOW!"

Kale, for his part had been trying to do just that for the past two minutes with no success.

"I can't! I don't know whats wrong but it's still going. It's like my body is willing it on by itself."

A sudden surge of energy flowed from him and the globe jumped in size by almost half again what it had been.

As they all watched what was happening Mego looked to the computer screen again "From what I can gather from this he is generating an electro magnetic field not unlike a forcefield. If it continues to grow like it is now it will crush this room in a matter of minutes."

Kale was looking for a way to shut his ability off when he saw something in his mind's eye that gave him pause.

"Shego, I should just have the one energy pool right?" He asked in a confused tone.

She looked at him "As far as I know Sparky. Why?"

He shook his head "Because I think I just found a second one, it appears to be green to me. I think it might be something I can use to shut down with. I'm going to try it."

Before Shego could even say no Kale's aura began to shift from pale yellow to the more familiar green she remembered.

It continued to get greener but as it did so the globe began to shrink back towards Kale.

As he stood there Kale could feel the difference in his aura, he now felt less protected but more like he could take on an army and win.

He could feel the fire burning within and it wanted out, it wanted out NOW.

His eyes snapping open, Kale barely had time to think when a torrent of plasma ripped through his entire being, flaring in every direction at once.

From outside the field he had been projecting everyone saw Kale's aura become as dark a green as Shego's and then there was a roar as the globe filled with plasma.

Through the roar could be heard a hoarse cry as the man inside the globe forcefully vented more energy then he could have thought possible, moments later the cry stopped.

The globe started to distort in odd ways before a hole appeared in the top of it venting plasma into the room at an alarming rate.

As it dissipated Kale's prone form could be made out on the ground and it took all four men to hold Shego back from running into the still blazing room.  
"LET GO OF ME!!" She yelled at her brothers, trying to reach for the panel that would open the barrier for her to reach the fallen red head.

"Shego, please listen to me" Hego asked "Even if you could survive in there it would let that in here and fry the rest of us."

She could hear him and she did understand the logic but as she looked out upon the still form laying there unmoving, she felt as though she needed to be there for the red head that she had come to like. _"It's more then like and you know it."_ She thought as she started to softly cry.

Hego felt his sister stop struggling and relaxed his hold on her "We can't go out there until it's safe Shego, I'm sorry."

He could feel her start to shake and thought he heard a sob but the others had not noticed and so he kept that to himself slowly rocking her and looking at the fallen man in the room _"I hope he's okay for your sake little sister."_ he thought to himself.

After a very tense few minutes the thermometer let them know that it was safe to enter the training room.

Shego burst out of the barrier and rushed to Kale's side to check on him.

His clothes were nothing but a memory and he was face down making no noise.

She gently turned him over fearing the worst, but as she did so she could see that he was breathing steadily.

He was out like a light but showed no other adverse side effects of the discharge, although she thought his skin was a bit paler then it had been before hand.

She looked to her brothers with a look of relief "Let's get him to the infirmary to check him out, and we might want to get him something to wear."

Her brothers looked at her and the sleeping red head and just nodded, all thinking the same thing after watching how she was around him _"She likes him bad. He'd better not hurt her or else."_

Kale was wandering through what he could only describe as a green fog, he could not see anything but he thought he could hear a voice.

As he looked around he could see the ground was of a soft golden color and the sky that was visible was a dark blue "Curious that I don't remember how I got here." He mused before hearing the voice again.

Setting off after it he encountered nothing for a good while except more of the green fog, the odd thing about the fog was that it was warm to the touch.

He had stopped to get his bearings as it were when he became aware that he was not alone, there in the fog and mist ahead of him was a figure.

"Hello there, could you help me? I appear to have gotten lost." He called out as he approached.

The closer he got the more the figure appeared female, a familiar female at that. It was Brianna.

"Brianna where are we? The last thing I remember we were in the training facility and ... I don't remember what happened after I started pulling up that yellow aura." He realized.

She looked at him sadly and sighed.

He reached out to hold her and to ask her what was wrong but when he did she faded away.

As she faded he could hear her ask "Why don't you like me?"

Startled by what had happened he called out into the mist around him "I do like you, I like you very much."

He felt his legs give out under him and found himself on the ground.

Sadness in his voice he continued "I like you very much but I know that you still love Kim and I know I can't compete with her. I would love to know you even a fraction as well as she does but I'm not going to delude myself into thinking I have a chance. I've seen how you look at her and I'll not come between that."

He heard her again "You think I'm a freak don't you?"

He could feel the heat in his face as he sat there "You are not a freak! I don't know why you would say that... no ..no I take that back, I do understand why you might say that. You've heard it ever since you got your powers haven't you? I'm sorry that some folks aren't more accepting of people different then them but that doe not mean I am that way."

He shook his head "How could I think YOU are a freak when I am the biggest anomaly around here. Think about it, I am from twenty seven years in the future of a different dimension. I have seen people do weirder things to themselves then just change their skin color Brianna, I am from a time where genetic manipulation is as easy as getting your hair done; just a lot more expensive."

"I like you for you. You don't take anything from anybody, you are one heck of a fighter and you are loyal to your friends to a fault. Why wouldn't I like you? As much as it makes me sound like a lovestruck teen, I think I love you but I can't bring myself to say it because I'm afraid of you not feeling the same way. I understand why that might be, but I can't take the chance of being told so, and so I will have to be content with being near you and be your friend."

He started to feel a pressure on his chest and before long the shape of Brianna took shape against him.

He put his arms around her and this time she didn't disappear. He started to hear other noises at this point and as he looked around he realized that he was now laying on his back in a room with medical equipment around him. He looked back to Brianna and she appeared to have pasted out laying on him while sitting in the chair next to his bed.

He gently stroked her beautiful black hair with it's green highlights, he could feel her relax a bit more from the contact and he smiled "Even if this is as close I can get to you I will cherish it." he whispered softly.

From the observation room next door the rest of Team Go looked on at their sister and the red head she had fallen asleep on.

They had heard everything Kale had said while he was half out of it in response to Brianna's question's.

She had brought him into the room and had watched him for several hours until she too nodded off, asking her questions in a state of semi coherence but not hearing, or at not seeming to hear the responses from Kale.

Hego turned to his siblings "I think we should let Kim know that they are here for the night and get them both to bed proper. I think they need to talk to each other at greater length when they get up."

The others just nodded and then Mego spoke up "Who'd have thought she had a soft side, he could be good for her."

The twins laughed at him, "You forgot that she.." Travis started

"..was the same way around Kim." Nick finished.

Hego sat there for a second and then chuckled "Is is odd to anyone else that she only gets this way around Possibles?"

Brianna had carried Kale to the infirmary herself and had insisted that she was going to stay with him until he woke up.

She had of course stated to her brothers that was because as soon as he woke up she was going to pummel him for scaring her like that but she knew that she really wanted to make sure that he was alright.

She sat there for several hours getting a little more worried with each passing one because it meant something could be very wrong.

She didn't even realize she had fallen asleep when she found herself sitting next to Kale in a field talking with him.

He looked over to her and smiled "This is a pretty place you've brought me to."

She smiled back, it felt nice to have him here with her, she had not thought anyone but Kim would make her feel that way but he did for some strange reason.

She was always afraid of people hating her and so she had made a habit of hating them first.

It was easy to do or at least that was what she told herself, in truth she was lonely.

She had finally found someone she could be friends with in Kim Possible but only after she had admitted she did like the then red headed teen.

After those stupid aliens had been beaten and both her and Drew had been given pardons it was easier for her to get to know Kim.

They started hanging out more often although at first there had been some trepidation on both sides. After a couple months GJ had offered her a job, she said yes as long as it was on the same team as Kim, they agreed and that was that.

After Ron had his breakdown and had left for Japan, Kim was crushed and so Brianna did what Ron had asked her to do and took care of Kim.

It was during this time that the two women realized they were attracted to each other as more then just friends.

At first it was everything that she had hoped a relationship would be, but her self destructive tendencies started showing up again after several months.

They started fighting over stupid things, trivial things and eventually they had a big fight and Brianna realized that she was making her best friend hate her and so she did what she did best in that kind of situation, she ran.

She did keep an eye on Kim and found that Ron had found out about what happened and had flown back from Japan to be with her.

That Kim had someone she loved nearby made Brianna feel better and so she kept herself hidden.

They had eventually reconciled and Brianna was even Godmother to Kim and Ron's child.

She knew that Ron was the love of Kim's life and was happy for her even though she still loved her greatly.

Then this Kale had shown up and attacked her family, she should hate him for that and at first she did.

She remembered when she heard about the fight in the cafeteria and how he had defended her honor, that made her laugh at first, here was this man she had attacked standing up for her.

After everything had settled down and she had heard his story along with what he had been trough she started to understand him a bit more.

When during that attempted prison break she had seen what he had done by himself she was impressed, he had held off an overwhelming number and was (barely) standing there daring them on.

When she had been caught by that stupid explosive and both she and Kim were hurt he had surprised her again by not only lighting up with what looked to her like her own power but had then not attacked when they surrendered.

He had even rushed to the aid of the one dumb enough to attack him after he had injured the man severely.

The day out at the mall had proven eventful and she had found out that he had a wit to match his combat prowess, she found that she was liking him more and more even though she wanted to deny it.

That evening when he had run off after seeing Kim's parents she had run after the man to find out what had happened and after she found him and he explained what he had realized she felt her heart go out to him.

When on the way back to the house he had goosed her, she was shocked both by the audacity and by the fact that it made her giddy, then he had said he thought she was cute when she blushed, that almost made her giggle outright.

He had made no further comments after that and had kept himself at arms length for the rest of the night and that confused her _"Does he not like me after all? What did I do wrong?"_ she thought to herself sadly.

Today she had overheard him talking to himself and he was thinking about her, but she couldn't quite make out what, then she caught him staring at her on the way to her brothers' tower and she thought that he might be scared of her odd color like a lot of guys seemed to be.

"_Stupid mixed feelings! I wish he would just say something one way or the other." _she had told herself.

After watching both Kale and her mother go at it for almost twenty minutes she could tell that he was something really special, that and her mother actually liked him.

When his glow had come forth that pale yellow color it had unnerved them both, but when he had looked her in the eyes with his own emerald green ones and asked her by her first name to get behind the safety barrier, she had been struck with the realization that he did care for her.

Watching him power up and then having Jules ask her about when he had last discharged she was filled with a dread, she remembered when she had gone too long between discharges and the blasts she had given off.

His ability had been dormant for years, when he actively called it forth it had a massive well of stored energy to burn off.

She had watched helpless when he asked about a second pool and then his aura had gone as green as hers before the force bubble had dissipated and had stopped the plasma discharge from leveling the room.

When she heard him scream her heart fell, and it was only Hego's power that stopped her from opening the barrier door when she saw him laying face first on the ground not moving.

He was right, the plasma still in the room would have killed them all but seeing him there, unable to get to him broke her in ways she didn't want to think about.

She still cannot express her relief when she finally got to him and found he was still alive.

She looked to the red head next to her and she sadly asked him "Why don't you like me?" expecting him to tell her some reason why like everyone else.

He instead turned to her "I do like you, I like you very much."

That startled her but he continued "I like you very much but I know that you still love Kim and I know I can't compete with her. I would love to know you even a fraction as well as she does but I'm not going to delude myself into thinking I have a chance. I've seen how you look at her and I'll not come between that."

This revelation made her do a double take _"He does like me!"_ She grinned to herself and then a dark thought crossed her mind _"He thinks I'm a freak because I love Kim."_

She turned back to him crestfallen at this new thought "You think I'm a freak don't you?"

She was trembling at the thought that he was going to say yes and break her heart.

When he answered he sounded upset "You are not a freak! I don't know why you would say that... no ..no I take that back, I do understand why you might say that. You've heard it ever since you got your powers haven't you? I'm sorry that some folks aren't more accepting of people different then them but that doe not mean I am that way."

She looked at him, amazed he thought she was not a freak.

He started again "How could I think YOU are a freak when I am the biggest anomaly around here. Think about it, I am from twenty seven years in the future of a different dimension. I have seen people do weirder things to themselves then just change their skin color Brianna, I am from a time where genetic manipulation is as easy as getting your hair done; just a lot more expensive."

She realized she had not even thought about any of that and she blushed.

He continued "I like you for you. You don't take anything from anybody, you are one heck of a fighter and you are loyal to your friends to a fault. Why wouldn't I like you? As much as it makes me sound like a lovestruck teen, I think I love you but I can't bring myself to say it because I'm afraid of you not feeling the same way. I understand why that might be, but I can't take the chance of being told so, and so I will have to be content with being near you and be your friend."

"_He loves me? ME?"_ she thought surprised that him saying that had made her feel so good.

He had laid down and so she laid down across him felling his warmth and listening to his heartbeat, happy to be right where she was.

She felt him stroking her hair and she snuggled closer and relaxed at his touch.

She was content to stay there listening to the in and out of his breathing mixed with other noises now, the sounds of the infirmary and then she heard him speak softly "Even if this is as close I can get to you I will cherish it."

Even though he couldn't see it she had a smile across her face, a true smile _"I think I might have been wrong about you Sparky."_ she thought to herself _"You may be just the kind of person I've been looking for."_


	18. The Courting Rituals of Dragons

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 18: The Courtship of Dragons

Martin stood up and stretched "Alright guys, let's see about getting them to their rooms. Jules, if you could make up on of the quest rooms for Kale I think I will try and find something that would fit him."

With that he strolled out of the observation room towards the suit fabrication area, he had an idea for what he was going to get Kale.

Jules looked to the twins and smiled "I don't envy you two, having to get Bri up and moving while not getting roasted."

Travis and Nick both shot him a glare "Thanks a lot." They said in unison.

Half an hour later Martin found the twins still outside of the room holding Kale and Brianna "Guys, whats the hold up? Are they ready to go yet?"

Nick spoke up "We're not going back in there. Every time we came near the bed to wake them up he would growl at us and light up his free hand. I don't think he wants us to disturb Brianna."

Martin cocked an eyebrow at them "He would growl at you? It sounds like he's been picking up tips from Bri already. Okay I'll handle this."

He carefully opened the door and slipped inside, sure enough Kale cracked one eye to view the intruder into their room and lit up his right hand.

Hego put his hands up and whispered "I think Brianna might like it better if she were able to get some rest on her back, don't you agree?"

Kale looked at the man and then down to the beauty laying across him, he had to agree he was probably not the softest thing to sleep on.

He shook his head yes and then leaned forward "Brianna, I think you should get some rest." He whispered as he lifted her slightly to move his legs toward the floor, noting that he had sweatpants on.

She stirred and looked at him sleepily "Huh?" She looked around for a moment "Okay."

He smiled at the groggy woman "Come on, I will take you to your room."

He proceeded to scoop her up in his arms to which she squirmed "Relax, consider it payback for earlier." He whispered in her ear and she she nodded only half awake.

Hego opened the door for the two of them and followed them out afterwards.

The twins looked on in awe at the fact that their sister was letting anyone carry her anywhere.

The last time they remembered someone trying that it had taken a week for the burns to heal but here was this red head doing it and she didn't seem to mind at all.

Kale made his way toward a room he had not visited in years but had mapped out in his head. "I guess being curious about how she lived is paying off." He thought to himself as he looked down to the woman he was carrying.

When they got to her room, Hego opened the door and Kale brought her over to the bed and set her down.

As he turned to leave she grabbed his hand, oblivious to the fact that her brother was in the room as well "Stay, please stay." she said as though afraid he would disappear if she let go.

He smiled back at her "Okay, I'm not going anywhere. Get under the covers, I still need to get the door."

He looked to Hego and nodded, the big man grinned and exited the room closing the door behind him.

Kale laid down next to Brianna and put his arm about her, reveling in the nearness of her scent and warmth of her body.

She felt him lay down and place his arm across her, she smiled and soon the two of them were fast asleep, very content in each others company.

Sunlight assaulted Shego's eye's when she opened them causing her to roll over right into a wave of red hair.

"Kim, move over, you're hogging the bed again." she mumbled.

"_Wait a minute."_ her brain said, realizing that something wasn't right with that. _"Shouldn't Kim be with Ron?"_

She opened her eyes again and took in the sight of Kale starting to stir due to the mumbled statement.

"U'm not Kim." he mumbled back before his forehead scrunched up and he opened his own eyes to look at her.

Their reaction to the realization of who each other were looking at was immediate; they both jumped back in shock.

Kale fell off his side of the bed with a thud before his head popped back up "I think I can explain." he stated unsure if he actually could because he had thought what had happened was a dream.

Shego just sat there staring at the red head she had been dreaming about.

With a sudden thought she looked down at herself and sighed in relief, she was still clothed.

She then turned her attention back to the man on the opposite side of the bed from her "Nothing happened." she stated with a hint of malice in her voice.

He just nodded back and blinked not knowing what to say.

The silence hung in the air between them for a few moments before Shego all but growled "Sparky, I think you need to find somewhere else to be in about three seconds."

Kale caught her meaning and jumped up, bolting for the door.

He felt the blast she unleashed hit the door as it closed and he sighed a breath of relief "Well that could have gone better. Did I really carry her to bed?" he mused to himself _"She smells so nice." _

He thought he should seek out the others and see what had happened during the training as he had only a slight notion of what had transpired.

Shego sat there after she had chased Kale out of her room, confused by what had happened the previous evening.

"_I remember talking with him and him saying he did like me, but I thought those were just dreams. I also remember him ..carrying me to my room? I let him carry me? Huh, I must be going soft."_ She thought to herself smiling softly.

She looked around "So where do we go from here I wonder?"

As she looked at herself again she figured a good place to start might be a shower and so she went to find a towel.

Kale, not finding anyone up and about, had found himself back in the training facility.

He looked around for a couple minutes before making his way over to the control center, once there he powered up the computer.

"Let's see if the access codes I know will work here." He smirked to himself as the panel came to life as he impute the codes he had memorized so long ago. "Good to know that some things don't change no matter where or when you are."

He browsed through the combat routines until he found some of Brianna's "These should do nicely for a workout. I need something to get my mind off of her for a few minutes so I might see what I did to upset her."

As the program started up he began to see that she had been through in her routines, the ten combat androids that emerged from various locations settled into a circle around him before advancing in a way that left little room for error.

He swept in and took out the one to his immediate left with a solid snap kick before striking it's counterpart to his right with a palm strike to it's head, disabling both.

This flowed for several more minutes and he realized that as he dropped a few, more would join in the fray.

After about ten minutes a new tactic let itself be known, lasers began to track and fire at him.

He grinned and pushed himself harder, he had taken several light contact hits and shrugged them off but he could tell that the program was adapting to his movements.

Unbeknown to Kale, the twins had seen him start up the program and had woken Martin and Jules to watch.

Jules whistled "I'm beginning to think he could dodge rain moving like that."

Martin looked on a grin forming on his face at his brother's comment "He certainly has what it takes to keep up with the program, Bri usually has blasted a few of the turrets by now."

"That's because I like to make things go boom, Marty." Brianna stated as she entered the upper observation deck for the training room.

"You all are staring at him like he's some wunderkin or something. Jeez, he's not that great, yeah mom said he was good but so am I and I don't hear you swooning over my fights." She fumed at her brothers, frustrated that she had not been informed about Kale's fighting in HER training routine.

The twins suddenly had a devious thought cross their minds "Well if you think you can't keep up with him we'll understand sis." they said together.

Both Martin and Jules looked to their younger brothers aghast that they had just signed their own death warrants for teasing their sister about her fighting skills.

Brianna for her part was too angered to think about that "WHA ...YOU...I..." she sputtered before gaining back her voice.

"I'LL SHOW YOU WHO CAN"T KEEP UP!!" she roared and stormed off to get to the main floor.

The twins grinned at each other and both the older brothers began to wonder what they were up to.

Kale spotted Brianna storm through the door and hit a panel almost breaking it, the program shut down instantly.

"OK SPARKY, NOW THAT YOU'VE WARMED UP HOW ABOUT A REAL MATCH?" she raged at the red head before her.

"_Oh boy, she's livid for some reason."_ he thought to himself.

"As you wish, but you may want to calm yourself a bit first or I will have no trouble defeating you." He stated, cocking an eyebrow at her and smirking.

Her response was to light up her hands and charge at him yelling at the top of her lungs.

She swung at him, enraged that this... this.. MAN had just told her to calm down, Kale just dodged her swings smiling the entire time.

After several more failed attempts to connect with Kale, Brianna saw what she thought was an opening and took it only to find herself on her back with Kale on top of her pinning her so she couldn't swing at him.

He looked down at her and the smile vanished, his voice hard"You do not face a simple henchman Brianna. If you do not come at me with all your ability and facility I will win and you are better then that! Calm yourself and focus. You rely too heavily on these comet born powers and too little on your own skill."

He released her and moved away from her so she could get up.

She glared at him "You talk of skill and ability as if they are yours alone! I was trained by the same person you were!"

He only nodded "And yet you do not use what you have learned. Do you truly think I want to win against you so easily? I want to battle you at your peak and if you were at that point I truly doubt I could win. You hold back because most people are much more frail then us but I am not."

She let the words and the meaning behind them take hold in her mind _"He wants to fight me at my best and he does not want me to hold back."_

After several moments she looked back at him much calmer and able to think clearer then before "Okay Sparky, anytime your ready to get beat just let me know."

He bowed slightly and took up his stance "As you wish." was his reply.

They started their dance and soon were moving about the room in a blur of movement.

It was obvious to the both of them that they were enjoying this sparring match a little too much but they didn't care.

One would get a good hit in only to have it returned shortly after, the verbal barbs as plentiful as the strikes "Nice one Carrot top, Drew hits harder." from Brianna "I'm sorry you're so slow today, maybe if you laid off the ice cream you could actually hit me." from Kale.

From their vantage point the brothers just watched, mouths agape at the match below them.

Martin had a sudden shudder and Jules spoke up "What's wrong?"

Martin looked at the fighting duo "I had a bad mental image of what it might have been like for everyone if he had found our sister when she was still working for evil and joined her."

It was the other brothers turn to shudder, the twins and Jules nodded "That would have been bad, I doubt even Kim would have been able to stop that with all our help."

After a good thirty minutes, Kale was starting to tire and knew that soon Brianna would get through his defense so he played a gamble "So you want to give up yet? It wouldn't hurt my feelings any, you being out of shape and all."

Brianna also tiring, smirked back "Aw what's the matter Sparky, a little play time and your getting all worn out?"

"_This is probably going to hurt, a lot actually."_ he thought to himself "What's the matter Firefly? The big bad Possible too much for you?" He said with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

Her eyes drew to slits as he used the nickname her mother had given her and at the hint that she couldn't beat him she surged forth and hit him squarely in the chest with both plasma encased hands sending him flying across the room into the far wall.

She straitened up "How's that for possible Red?" she quipped before she realized that he was now laying crumpled upside down against the far wall.

"Kale! Oh no I think I killed him! Sparky speak to me!" She yelled as she ran towards Kale.

"_Yup, I was right. That HURT!"_ he thought before bringing his right hand up with a somewhat cockeyed thumbs up "Now I know what a cannonball feels like after being fired. Good hit." he croaked out as he turned himself over.

She leaned over him and looked for any signs of broken ribs as he just looked at her.

After a few minutes she crouched next to him "Don't scare me like that Red. I thought I might have done real damage."

He looked at her face and saw the concern in it "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." he brought his left hand up and brushed aside some of her hair to get a better look at her face, she sighed and leaned into the touch smiling.

"You really are beautiful." he stated softly, gazing into her eyes and finding he never wanted to look away.

She was just inches away from him and she reveled in his smell about her, his eyes locked with hers, she didn't notice how close their lips were from each others until she heard her brothers burst into the room after seeing Kale hit the wall.

They both whipped around to look at the rest of Team Go and if looks had been enough to kill there wouldn't have even been smoking craters, they would have simply ceased to exist.

Martin was the first to speak "Kale are you alright?"

"Never better Hego." came the gruff reply from the red head now pulling himself up off the floor looking at the equally fuming Brianna.

"I think I need a shower now, then I need to talk to you all about what happened yesterday." He stated.

"I could use another one myself so I will tag along." this came from Brianna as she grabbed Kale's arm and practically drug him from the room.

The four men stood in the now otherwise empty room and the twins started laughing.

Martin looked at his siblings "What's so funny, I thought Kale might have been injured."

This caused them to laugh even harder because Hego was being dense again.

Finally Travis calmed down enough to talk "We knew that Bri liked Kale but she hadn't done anything to prove it to him while he was awake, so we thought we would goad her into a match with him."

Jules, beginning to get the picture joined in "So you got her mad enough to fight him. Bri always did like fighting with Kim when they were together."

Martin, still out of the loop asked "So? What does that have to do with Kale getting hurt?"

The other three rolled their eyes "You saw how she reacted when she sent him sailing, she went from fighting to concerned in nothing flat. If we hadn't burst in it might have gotten very R rated in here." Jules stated.

The twins nodded and Martin just looked confused not being able to put the two things together.

Nick finally was able to get it through to him "Kim and Brianna fought a lot before they would start making out. For them it was like foreplay."

Martin blinked "Oh...OHHHHH! I think we might want to give them a bit then." He stated as he remembered they were heading for the showers.

If Kale could have heard that revelation he would have agreed wholeheartedly.

Well he would have if he could have been able to think of anything other then the very beautiful, very wet female he was in the middle of kissing as if his life depended on it.

It was a VERY good shower indeed.


	19. Back on the Horse

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Isabel Gooding belongs to StarvingLunatic.

Chapter 19: Back on the Horse

As they broke from their latest kiss both Kale and Brianna looked at each other and grinned.

Several minutes earlier in the shower they had been making out like a couple of horny teenagers when Bri had inadvertently called Kale Kim. She had felt him go rigid and pull away from her and when she opened her eyes he had been staring at the floor looking ashamed of himself.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

He looked up "I think we may be moving too fast at the moment. I want to be with you but I think that if we rush this we may do more harm then good. I want you to know who I am completely before we make this a serious relationship. It is only fair to you that you know all of what makes me, well me."

She stood there for a moment and then glared at him "What do you mean moving too fast? Did you think I was going to just jump in bed with you right away?! Your really are full of yourself Red!"

A small lopsided grin formed on Kale's face as he slowly shook his head "I didn't mean to offend you but I think we might have ended up there if you hadn't called me my mother."

Brianna blinked as she thought about what she had said and then softly started laughing "I did didn't I? Oh man, I feel like an idiot."

She looked back at Kale "Okay, I will admit that in the heat of the moment we may have gone too far but I do like you Red, a lot more then I should. If you want to take it slow we will."

He nodded and then he got a hopeful look in his eyes "So we can still kiss right? Because you have the most amazing lips."

"_And eyes and body." _He had a slight blush as he finished that thought.

Brianna, still laughing put her hands on her hips "You Possibles are going to be the death of me yet. Yes we can still kiss Sparky, I like you enough to go slow but you take too long and I might find someone else to lavish my affections on."

Kale's eyes lit up "Spankin!" he proclaimed only to then blink "Where in the depths did THAT come from?" He wondered aloud.

Brianna couldn't hold her laughter in any longer as she saw the befuddled look on Kale's face at his sudden and (to him) random whoop of joy.

He caught her as she fell forward laughing too hard to stay standing and sat down in the shower with her, starting to laugh himself.

After several moments of furious laughter from both of them and the rekindled laughter when they looked at each other, they both began to catch their breath.

"You really are a lot like her you know that?" Bri stated looking at Kale.

Kale smiled softly "I can only hope so, you have to realize I am still trying to find out what either of them are like."

Bri frowned slightly, remembering that the man beside her had never met his parents "Sorry, I keep forgetting that you lost the chance to know her, I mean them."

He hugged her, relishing the feeling "Don't worry about it, I understand. I'm glad that this whole thing happened, it has given me a chance to find out at least something of what my parents were like and I am grateful for it."

"That and it has given me the chance to meet an extraordinary woman." He stated, taking in the view of beautiful lady that he held in his arms.

She looked back at him raising an eyebrow "Well you certainly know how to flatter the ladies but don't think you can seduce me Sparky, I'm smarter then your average female."

Kale, mimicked her look "I would have it no other way my lady Emerald."

She leaned into him "Oh so we're being formal now. I think I like that.."

He sighed happily "As much as I would love to stay in this moment we should probably finish up and get dressed before Hego bursts in here to see if we've drowned in the shower."

She snorted "He would do something like that too. Alright lets get going."

They looked at each other for a lingering moment then leaned in to kiss again.

After getting out of the bathroom Kale looked around and realized he had not seen his clothes anywhere "Bri, have you seen my stuff? I'm kinda only wearing a towel here and I don't see any of my clothes."

Brianna stuck her head out from her closet "Your clothes? Oh right..., um well they didn't make it after what happened. I'll go see if I can find you something just sit tight."

With that she dashed out of the room before Kale could respond.

"_Okay, what did she mean by that? They didn't make it, what in the depths does that mean?"_ He shook his head as he tried to figure out what she meant by that.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed he allowed himself to wonder out loud "It has something to do with what happened yesterday, I'd put good credit on it. I wish I could remember more of it, I guess I'll just have to wait to talk to everyone and review the video."

Several minutes later Brianna was making her way back to her room having found Martin and talked to him about something for Kale to wear. He had shown her the suit he had fabricated for Kale the previous evening after realizing that he would need something made of the same material as his sister's.

She smirked as she was walking "Well even a big blue doofus like him has to have a good idea every so often I suppose."

She looked again at the outfit and wondered how Kale would react to the design. It was similar to the rest of Team Go's suit with a couple variations, first off it was mostly a black and yellow harlequin pattern with a bit of dark green mixed in, the other thing that stood out was the fact that it was short sleeved and the gloves were a fingerless design.

As she rounded the corner of the hallway she broke into a run as she heard Kale yell from inside "WHAT IN THE BLUE BLAZES??"

The door to her room opened as she approached it to reveal a somewhat shaken Kale looking at his hands which were now engulfed in a familiar dark green glow.

Noticing the movement to his right he looked from his hands to Brianna "What is happening to me?" He asked truly frightened of what he was seeing.

"This isn't right, I know that things are happening that are not easily explained but this isn't right. I remember a light green glow and even a yellow one but this is your ability not mine. I can't even shut it down!"

Brianna could see that if she didn't calm Kale down soon he might have another flare up "I need you to relax and take deep slow breaths. You need to calm down or I won't be able to help you." she spoke with a soothing tone.

Panicked as he was Kale still did as she instructed.

He brought himself into a familiar stance and began breathing exercises to calm himself down and try and center himself, after several slow steady breaths he felt the heat in his hands dissipate and when he looked down the glow was gone.

Brianna had entered the room by this point and was just watching the red head with a mixture of concern and amazement. Her concern stemmed from the fact that she had just seen Kale panicking and she felt bad for the man. Her amazement was from the fact that he had been able to bring his panic under control so quickly and regain a fair measure of composure as fast as he had.

Kale turned to Brianna and gave a small smile "Sorry about that I guess I freaked out a bit."

She was about to tell him it was fine when his stomach let them know in no uncertain terms that it had been forgotten for far too long when it let loose with a growl that could be heard from outside the room.

"Dang Sparky, we need to feed you before your stomach decides that your liver is fair game." Bri stated, looking at the now heavily blushing red head.

She laughed a bit at that handing him the suit she had been carrying "Compliments of Martin. Hurry and put it on and we will see about feeding the monster in your midsection."

Kale looked at the outfit she handed him and sighed "Well, at least he made it sleeveless."

He made his way back to the closet and several moments later emerged in his new garb.

Bri arched an eyebrow and whistled "Looking good Red, you fill it out well."

Kale felt his face flush and smirked "I know we're both hungry but I am not on the menu."

"I guess it depends on which menu you're looking at." She quipped, a mischievous look playing across her face.

Brianna strolled out of the room at that and Kale just stood there stunned for a moment before he started after her.

"_This could definitely work out."_ he thought to himself as he caught up with the raven haired female.

As they made their way towards the kitchen area they made light banter about the differences between the male members of Team Go from both his reality and this one.

"From what I can see they really are almost identical, a bit older but not that much. I would say that the twins that I know appear to be in their early to mid twenties and both Martin and Jules look to be in their late twenties maybe thirty but thats it." Kale said remembering how he always wondered why they didn't seem to get much older as he grew up.

"So how do they match up personality wise?" Bri asked.

He smiled at that question "My Martin is as dense as lead and could be really overbearing in the whole 'hero' thing, your Jules is actually a bit more laid back and less self centered then mine and the twins are, well, the twins. Your mom is, as far as I can tell, identical to my aunt Isabel; just a bit younger then mine obviously."

She laughed at that "So you got it as bad as I did with her, good to know. How long do you think it will take Hego to try and get you to join the team?"

"If I make through my second plate I'll be surprised." He sighed shaking his head.

"Second plate? You give yourself that long?" She asked laughing, lightly poking him in the ribs.

He squirmed as she did that "Hey, no fair tickling!" he huffed "As for giving myself that long you've never seen me eat when I'm really hungry."

She shuddered as a thought crossed her mind "I forgot that you're related to Ron. I pity the food."

He laughed at her reaction "Aunt Isabel used to say that on a good day I could eat half my weight in food."

He stared off thoughtfully for a moment "Looking back on things I don't know how far off from the truth she was."

All Brianna could do was stare at the man next to her after he said that.

As they entered the dining area they could see everyone had already gathered and there was a decent spread already on the table.

Jules spoke up as they entered the room "So, have a good shower?"

Martin's response to the question was to cough and look away and the twins just looked at Kale and Brianna with wide knowing grins.

"The shower was great, but now I'm going to let her go and get food while she decides what she wants to carve on your tombstones for asking about it." Kale stated releasing the fuming female and grabbing a plate.

He filled his plate as the three men ran for their lives as Shego chased after them flinging plasma and giving detailed descriptions as to what she would do to them when she caught them.

Turning to Martin he waved at himself "Thanks for this. Once we're done here I would like to go over the video from the training room yesterday, I'm real fuzzy on what happened."

Martin just watched the red head next to him slightly taken aback as Kale made a plate mound of food disappear as if it were a magic trick.

Seeing Kale going back for seconds Martin decided to speak up "You like my sister don't you?"

Kale stopped putting food on his plate and looked at Hego as if he had just sprouted three extra heads "Huh?" came his dazed reply, it all his brain could come up with.

"Look, we want our sister to be happy and she seems to be happy around you. I can accept that, but if you hurt her..." Hego left the implied threat unspoken.

Kale had to stifle a laugh, not from the implied beat down but from the fact that it was Hego making it. "Hego, I appreciate what you are doing but you don't think that if I did hurt her I could hide from you all, your mother, and Kim and Ron do you?" Kale stated sounding firm in his assessment.

He continued "Rest assured that I want nothing but to make her as happy as I can. She is a very special woman and I can only hope that she will be willing to share her life with me when we are ready to take that step."

Hego nodded that he understood what Kale was saying so he went back to filling his plate, he was almost ready to eat when the expected and dreaded question arose "So now that that's taken care of what do you say to helping rid the city of evil with us?"

Kale rolled his eyes and groaned _"Not even into my second plate. I wonder what she will do to me for winning?"_

He looked at Hego "I really appreciate the offer but I feel that I would be better suited to helping out mom, uh I mean Kim at GJ. Sorry."

Hego didn't get the hint, much to the disappointment of Kale "But you would do so well with us, Team Go could rid the city of evil so much better with all of us."

Seeing where this was headed Kale decided to intercept him before he got into waters not safe for anything less then Great Whites "Hego, I'm not about to ask Shego to come back to the team for you and before you ask me again I want you to think on some things. I apparently have similar abilities to your sister, I am just as skilled as she is in the martial arts, I am a red head with a temper to match, and you would have both of us raging instead of just her."

Hego visibly blanched as the image of what Kale said formed in his minds eye "Gotcha."

Kale smiled a slightly evil smile and turned his attention back to his food.

Shego, having chased her idiot younger brothers off for the moment had returned to the table in time to hear the last of what kale had said to her moronic older brother and to catch the smile he had.

She came up next to the red head "If you ever do go to the side of evil I'm coming along because I do not want to get on your bad side."

Kale snorted "I did warn you that I'm not nice all the time, I had to learn how to chase my uncle Martin off as well. Besides I would make a horrible villain, all they would have to do is send mom after me and I would surrender."

Shego nodded " Yeah, I wouldn't hurt Kimmie either so I guess it's a good thing we're not planning to be villains then huh."

Kale, who by this time was on his forth plate looked over to Hego who was just staring at him "What is it man? You look like you've never seen a person eat."

Hego had watched him eat more food then the rest of them combined and all he could come up with was "Your not human, I've just witnessed a garbage disposal in human form."

Shego looked to her brother and laughed at his response "You forgot that he is Ron's kid didn't you? He also has a metabolism like ours so you combine the two and there you go."

Finishing his plate and deciding against getting more he helped clean up the table and kitchen.

Once that was done the group made their way to the training facility to review the video and see Kale's reaction.

As he watched the events of the previous day unfold he marveled at the amount of energy that he had released and what exactly he had done.

When it was obvious that something had gone wrong he paused the recording and looked to Shego and the others "What happened here? I take it from Shego's reaction to what Mego said something unforeseen was occurring, what was it?"

Shego fielded the question "Whatever abilities you do have they appear to be energy based like mine are. When I don't use my ability for a while I get a buildup of excess energy that I have to expend, usually a good flare up and it's gone but from what you stated you haven't used your abilities in a good long time so you had a massive store of energy just waiting for you to tap into it to be released."

He nodded that he at least understood what she was saying so she continued "When it was released it basically did what energy does best, it took the path of least resistance, namely your EM shield. You really need to watch the rest."

She stated the last part while looking away from the monitor, causing Kale to wonder what was on the recording.

He started the video back up and watched the plasma explosion he had released erupt from him and shuddered as he heard his own ragged scream.

As he watched, he saw the struggle the brothers had in keeping Shego from forcing her way into the room to get to him when she saw that he had passed out from the strain and was laying face down on the floor naked, the plasma discharge having vaporized his clothing.

He looked to Shego and saw a few small tears that had run down her face, the pain evident in her eyes.

The brothers looked uncomfortable as well so he turned back to the monitor to watch the last part of what happened.

After Shego had found that he was still alive she had gently picked him up and made her way off camera towards the medical facility.

After the recording ended Kale turned to the others "It looks like that could have gone better huh? So I guess my first question is will that happen when I try again?"

Mego shook his head no "I think that when you shifted over to using the plasma it dissipated the rest of the store of energy. I would love to know how you could do that though. It seems like you gained more then one ability from the comet fragment."

Kale nodded "I noticed that as well but I really have no real explainable reason for being able to do what I can. It warrants further investigation regardless."

He turned his attention to Shego "I do appear to have the same type of ability that you have so I would love for you to teach me how to control it. I would not ask you to stay behind some barrier this time I promise."

He added the last part as she looked ready to either break in two or break him in two if he had suggested such a thing.

She nodded her approval, not trusting her vocal cords not to betray her fear if she spoke.

He looked to the others assembled "You all will be behind the barrier just in case, I think that Shego and I could survive the plasma if it came down to it but you all aren't as fireproof."

They all agreed to his assessment and so they made their way down to the main floor to set everything up.

After the brothers were gone he moved over to where Shego sat and knelt down beside her "I never meant to make you worry about me and I swear that I will do my best to never have you go through that again."

She looked at him and saw the tears in his eyes. As she looked into his eyes she could feel that he never wanted to hurt her, she couldn't explain it but she knew it was true.

She leaned over and gave the teary eyed red head a hug " Come on Sparky, don't you go getting all mushy on me. I'm a big girl, you just made me freak out a little bit thats all."

He looked at her and she lightly poked his nose "Just don't do it again, got it?"

Kale broke into a lopsided smirk and gave her a mock salute "Aye aye captain. Now let's get going before they think we're having a make out session and try and get themselves killed for asking about it again."

With the both of them feeling a bit better they made their way to the main floor to train Kale in the basics of how to control the plasma he now found himself in command of.

As they emerged into the room they could see that the barrier had been erected and the brothers were already safely ensconced behind it.

The two took their positions and Shego began "Okay Sparky, do remember what you did to bring forth the energy before?"

Kale nodded and began to focus on the pool of energy he could now feel just under his skin willing it to the surface, in just a matter of moments his hands were again encased in a familiar green flame.

Shego shook her head in approval "Good, it took you a lot less time and effort this time. You are a quick learner. Now then I want you to try and hit the target that Mego set up with a plasma burst."

Lifting an eyebrow Kale looked to her "So how do I do that exactly? Do I just put more energy into a swing or do I pool it in my hand first?"

She looked at him "Very good questions, it took me a while to figure that out. That has to come from Kim's side of the gene pool. For your answer both actually work but it depends on what you what to achieve. If you just put more power into a swing you get an uncontrolled burst that can take big things down but it is very unpredictable. If you pool the power in your hand you can get a much more controlled attack but it won't have as much kick to it."

Kale turned towards the targets and concentrated on pooling extra energy into his left hand, after a moment he chose one of the body sized targets and lobed the ball of plasma at it.

The ball struck the wall soundly having missed the target by a country mile.

He hung his head and chuckled "Well now you see why I am a close combat fighter, my ranged combat sucks wind hard."

Shego laughed at that "You can always get better Red, so do you think you can grasp the basics of this for now?"  
He thought about it for a moment "Yeah I think I can practice using it now without as much fear of setting things ablaze."

"Good, now lets see about getting you used to the other ability you have. See if you can bring the shielding up."

Kale grinned and began to feel for the yellow pool of energy that lay within him. Several moments later a light yellow shimmer was playing across his form.

As the shielding formed around him he felt the plasma grow weaker until it winked out as the yellow energy became much more pronounced.

It appeared to stay an outline around him but looked much more solid, he looked to Shego with a smile playing across his face "So lets test this out Em, hit me."

With that he moved into a combat stance that indicated that he was not playing and nodded that he was ready for her.

Seeing what he wanted her to do Shego brought her plasma to bare and sent a blast straight for his chest.

The blast struck true and to everyones amazement Kale remained rooted to the spot showing no ill effects from the blast.

He had the look of a scientist studying an experiment about him "That was interesting, just before the blast hit me I felt the shield anchor into the floor behind me and it acted like a buttress to absorb the impact. I did feel the blast, but it felt like it was through the use of energy to absorb it. I think the bigger the impact the more I would have to use to counter it so I definitely have a limit to what I can take."

Mego spoke up at this assessment "That's a good guess and a fair one to take at the moment. I was wondering if you could expand it like you did before."

Kale looked to Shego who just smirked at the fact he was looking to her for approval and gave him a thumbs up.

He smiled back and began to focus on putting more power into the field and it began to swell outward until it stabilized as a sphere about ten feet in diameter.

"Okay it's expanded but it definitely feels like I'm using a good amount of energy to keep it up. I'm not sure how long I could keep this going under duress. No time like the present to fine out though. Shego let's see if I can take a couple good blasts." He stated looking to the plasma wielding woman, a slight smile on his lips to hide the fact that it was a considerable strain at this point to even talk.

She looked at him and could tell that something was off "I don't know about that, you just got it under control. I think we might want to take this in smaller steps."

He smirked "I can take a hit Em, I would just like to test the durability of this in case I have to cover people in a combat situation. Just two good blasts and I will call it quits for now."

She hesitated for a moment and then grinned "Deal Blaze, but don't cry to me when you get smacked."

She launched two sizable plasma blasts at Kale before he could ask about the new nickname he had apparently acquired and they both struck true.

The first one drove him back almost a foot bringing a grunt of pain form the red head and the second one caused the sphere to collapse sending him to the floor gasping for air.

He quickly gave a thumbs up to show that he was okay and just lay there for a few moments taking in gulps of air to try and get his bearings.

After a good minute he sat up with a groan"That answers that question, I can take a bit of punishment doing that but the bigger the shield the more it takes out of me. I'm okay but I'm as weak as a kitten at the moment."

Shego sat down next to him and tussled his hair "Geez Blaze, don't push yourself too hard, you are going to have plenty of time to improve your abilities and we are going to have fun testing your limits."

Kale just leaned over on her "Thanks Em, but you know us Possibles, we're a stubborn bunch. By the way, where did Blaze come from?"

She smirked at him enjoying the closeness "What you don't like it? I figured with your hair and temperament it fit."

He smiled back at her "I like it a lot but it does sound like we're trying to be a thieving team what with the initials B and E."

Before she could respond Travis piped up "Get a room you two!" followed by strangled laughter from his brothers.

Kale looked at Shego as she growled and flexed her fingers into claws "I'm not going to stop you, if you'll give me a couple minutes I'll help." he growled out himself.

This led to some nervous laughter from behind the barrier as Kale and Shego both glared at the brothers.

After several minutes and many terrified apologies the duo left the rest of a trembling Team Go in the training room as they made their way back to Brianna's room to relax and in Kale's case clean his suit and take yet another shower, a regular shower this time much to his lament.

After that was taken care of they packed up everything that was left of what they had brought and made their way back towards the hovercraft for the trip back to the Drs. Possibles' home.

As they were leaving the twins begged the both of them to come back soon, Jules stated that he had fun seeing his sister again and would love to talk shop with Kale sometime and Martin said his goodbyes to both of them while remembering to never get either of them that angry ever again.

He really did pity any fool stupid enough to make those two really angry, there probably would be nothing left to find.

As the hovercraft lifted off Kale thanked Brianna for putting up with her brothers for him and she replied that stuff like that was the reason she left in the first place.

Kale did see her smile while saying it but didn't point it out, deciding instead to stretch and lean on his lady Emerald, he was out cold before they had even leveled off for the flight home.


	20. Spiraling Southwards

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 20 :Spiraling Southwards

After setting the autopilot with the proper coordinates Shego leaned back and looked to the red head slumbering next to her. She would never have guessed two weeks ago that she would find herself falling for anyone like she had with Kim and yet here she was.

She grinned as an amusing thought crossed her mind "So Red, I guess I'll have to ask your mom if it's okay if I can date her son. I can just see Kimmie's reaction, heck; Ron's reaction for that matter." She whispered to him.

He shifted in the seat and she moved him so he could put his head in her lap.

He sighed, and though she could tell he hadn't woken up he seemed to relax even further, his face was the picture of peace.

She thought how different he seemed now compared to how they had first met.

He was still a mystery to everyone on so many levels and yet he had opened up to her in ways that she could tell he never would have for anyone else, possibly not even Kim.

She started stroking his hair as she thought of something that little Kale did when Kim did the same thing, sure enough he started to make a sound not unlike a purr.

Smirking, she thought _"Yup, he's got a bit of feline in him somewhere. Always told Kim she needed to be more careful around those chemicals DNAmy uses._"

After an hour of flying Middleton came into view.

Shego stopped, well, petting Kale for lack of a better term and smiled "Dating you is going to be an adventure I can already tell." she stated softly before lightly shaking him to wake him up.

As he sat up he had a dazed smile across his face "Huh? Oh we're almost there, I must have dozed off for a bit." He said stretching and looking around.

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the onyx haired woman beside him "I had fun seeing your family and sparring with you and your mom. It really is different here but so similar at the same time, I can only imagine how things are going to be from here on out but I look forward to it."

She smiled at him "If things go anywhere near the way they have recently it is going to be a wild ride I'd bet."

His response was cut off as her communicator chimed in the familiar BEEP BEEP DE-BEEP that Shego knew as Kim's "Hey Kim, what's up?" she asked answering it.

"We've gotten a report of several WEE agents breaking into a secret lab in Belgium. The director wants us on it ASAP. How close are you?" came Kim's reply, obviously in mission mode.

"I'm about to drop Kale off at your parent's house so I can be there in under 10 minutes. I'll see you shortly Pumpkin." Shego smirked as Kim slightly glared at her best friend.

"I'll see you then Sheeg." Kim retorted and the screen went black.

Kale snorted at the incredulous look on the green tinged female's face "I bet she's the only one who could call you that and live."

She turned to him, a glint of danger flashed in her eyes "Don't you forget that Sparky." She warned him in a low voice.

"Her pet names for you are hers', I'll just have to figure out my own." he stated with a hint of mischief evident in his voice and trying to look way too innocent.

She groaned, putting a hand to her face "Ugh, Possibles. Look Red, I know you would love to tag along but I doubt that Bets would allow it so your just going to have to be bored for a while this evening."

Kale shrugged "Meh. I figure some down time might be fun for a bit. You know, do a few katas, watch some television, just kick back for a night. I haven't done that in an age."

Less then two minutes later they were hovering in the driveway.

Kale leaned over and gave Shego a quick kiss on the lips 'for luck' and hopped out.

She smiled, touching her lips briefly and then winked at him before setting course for GJ headquarters.

As the hovercraft moved out of sight he sighed and moved towards the front door.

Letting himself in he found nobody home yet from their respective jobs.

He made his way to the guest room to find his stuff had indeed been moved from Kim's brothers room.

Pulling out the gi that Ron had helped him buy he quickly threw it on over the Go suit and made his way towards the backyard to do some practice.

As he past several pictures in the hallway he stopped and realized that they were pictures of his mom and her brothers.

Backtracking he started looking at them from the beginning, mesmerized by the figures he saw in them.

There were some of Kim from the time she was born and after several more with other people he could not identify there was a picture of a young Kim and he assumed Ron both smiling.

After a few more the pictures of her brothers started, a bit farther down they showed Kim and her brothers with their parents and Kim looked to be about fourteen or so.

He came to one with both her and Ron in what looked to be dress attire "That looks like it could be prom night." he surmised to himself.

Further along he saw Kim with a cap and gown next to a similarly dressed Ron, both looked excited.

A little farther and he saw a start to the pictures with Kim and Shego, he smiled to himself because they both looked so happy with each other.

Looking along the hall he found more pictures of her brothers, now looking a bit more grown _"I wonder how old these are?"_ he thought to himself.

He saw a larger picture a little farther on but before he got there he noticed that the pictures with Shego had stopped and newer ones with Ron had appeared.

When he arrived at the large photograph it was of Kim and Ron's wedding, he recognized a few faces from it, among them Bonnie, Monique, Wade, Drew, Dr. Director and Will Du.

The next picture was of Kim holding a newborn Kale with both Ron and Shego beside her in the hospital.

Kale stared at that picture for several long minutes fighting the tears that were trying to force their way out. "That is the way it should have been, the right way." he voice cracked as he fought the urge to breakdown on the spot he now stood.

The next few pictures were Kale being held by various people including Isabel and Brianna's brothers; all of them had large smiles.

He had almost reached the end of the photos by this point and felt as drained by all the emotions that had been running through him as if he had been sparring for a good hour, he looked at a clock and found he had been looking at the photos for almost thrice that long.

Sighing he made his way towards the kitchen as his body made it known it was hungry and he really felt like he could use a drink.

He made himself a large sandwich and found a couple of beers towards the back of the fridge so he took one making a silent promise to replace it.

Sitting down at the table he made quick work of his meal while nursing the beer, once done he moved to the living room to try and unwind before going to the backyard to practice.

It was just as he put the empty beer bottle in the recycle bin that he heard the noise from the front door, someone was opening it.

Looking at the clock and thinking that it was too early for either of the doctors to be coming home his instincts took over.

He fell back into what shadows he could find and watched as two people came into view, both carrying several things and both with their backs to him.

He studied them as they passed, they were both male and appeared to be in their late teens.

They seemed to be comfortable in the house ...._'Doy!'_ the twins.

Now how to approach them without looking like a burglar himself, _"Meh, might as well be direct."_ he thought.

Stepping from the cover of the shadows he spoke up "So you two must be Jim and Tim. I've heard a little bit about you."

The teens whirled about at hearing the voice from behind them dropping what they were carrying in the process.

Before them stood a red headed male dressed in a black gi looking at them with a bemused smirk on his face, his arms crossed in front of him.

Instinctively they both dropped into defensive stances and readied themselves for combat against the intruder, for his part the intruder just broke into a broad grin.

"Ah I see you've been taking lessons from Kim then, hmm maybe some from Shego as well judging from the way you're trying to figure out my stance." Kale stated, his voice jovial.

The twins spared a glance at each other and then back to the red head.

"Who are you and..." Tim started.

"What do you want?" Jim finished.

Kale laughed again "Jeez, you sound like the Wegos. Look, I'm sorry if I startled you but your parents..." his sentence was cut short as Tim whipped out with a snap kick aimed for his head.

As the red head evaded the kick both teens yelled "WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM!!" as they began to go at him from both angles.

"_Great job idiot, pop up out of nowhere and start talking like you've done something to their parents, way to make like a villain."_ Kale rebuffed himself as he went on the pure defensive to not only not harm the teens but try and keep them from breaking anything in the house.

As he dodged and blocked their attacks _"Give these two a couple years and they could be a dangerous team"_ he thought approvingly.

"Guys I'm not.. _whoa_.. trying to..._that was close_..attack anybody. Your parents are...._good form_..letting me stay here.._okay that was a low blow_." Kale spoke as he weaved through attacks that were becoming tighter as the two kept at it.

Tim looked at the intruder they were combating _"and making no headway" _he thought to himself before speaking "Why should we believe you?"

"I don't know, maybe call one of them and ask? I'll disengage and you can do that." Kale stated going into a back flip away from the teens and ended it by landing in a lotus position looking at them from the floor.

Jim and Tim looked at him somewhat in awe of the fact that he had pulled off the maneuver flawlessly and while disengaging from combat as well.

They looked at each other and then Jim went to the phone while Tim kept an eye on the man seated in front of him.

After a few minutes Jim came back into the room his face a bit flushed "Uh, sorry about that Kale. Mom just informed me about you staying here and um.. we kinda overreacted."

Kale laughed at the uneasiness of the brown haired boys in front of him "Don't worry about it, I could have been more tactful in greeting you. With this family, people coming out of nowhere is usually a bad thing and you reacted quite well."

With that he got up and dusted himself off and stepped forward with his hand out "Let's try this again. Hi I'm Kale, you two must be Jim and Tim nice to meet you."

They laughed and each shook his hand.

Jim spoke up "So what did mom mean when she said you were a 'unique' individual?"

Tim looked to the red head as he shook his head lightly as though he were amused by the comment.

"_I've really got to look into getting those cards made."_ Kale pondered before he spoke "Well how about a brief synopsis, grab a seat."

About forty five minutes later he finished his brief story _'yet again',_ omitting certain things like his new found abilities, the fewer who knew about them the better.

Looking at the teens he groaned, "I know that look, your dad had the same one before he picked my brain for tidbits."

For their part the teens were bouncing with so many questions they didn't know where to begin.

Finally Jim piped up "So does that make you our nephew?"

Tim looked at Kale with a mischievous glint in his eyes to which Kale put a quick end "No that makes little Kale your nephew. I'm more like...hmm I guess a long lost relative. Since I am older then you guys or Kim maybe you should think of me as an older cousin or brother."

The twins grinned as an idea formed between them " Older brother huh? Well if you were our older brother.." Jim started.

"You could maybe get us some beer sometime?" Tim finished.

Kale grinned "Well I'll have to see about how I feel about helping corrupt the youth of today, but I wouldn't rule it out. I'm not always the most law abiding anyway. Besides what kind of older brother would I be if I didn't bend the rules for my siblings?"

That got a giant grin from both the boys.

"Hicka- Bicka-Boo!" exclaimed Tim.

"Hoo-Sha!' Jim spouted.

Kale leaned back in his chair and just laughed.

They sat there bantering back and forth for a good twenty minutes before Kale had that feeling he was being watched, his instincts were hardly wrong and so he tended to follow them.

He started looking around with his peripheral vision to see if he could catch any movement, _'wait, what was that'_ at a sudden flicker from his right.

He hit the ground as a dart flew through the area his neck had just been occupying "GET DOWN!" came his cry to the two startled teens.

"Cover has been blown, move in." came a voice from somewhere to his left and so he moved in that direction to take out the people who were invading the house.

He saw several shapes in dark outfits and made a break towards them, dodging the darts they shot at him.

He made contact and took two of the figures down with blows he was sure had broken several bones, _'the price you pay for messing with family' _Kale thought darkly.

Before he could move on to the others an order cut through the air "Stop or the other two get hurt!"

Kale whirled and found a half dozen figures surrounding Jim and Tim, both of whom were out cold from tranquilizer darts.

Glowering, Kale slowly raised his hands in surrender before he felt three darts hit him from different directions.

As he went down his last thoughts were of how he had failed to protect the twins.

Sometime later noise made itself known to kale as he drifted back into the land of the living, it sounded like a dull roar _'like a jet engine'_ he deduced.

As he made to move he realized he was bound and gagged, opening his eyes groggily he saw a couple of the men from the house looking at him, their mouths slightly ajar.

"Hey Frank, he's up! I thought you guys pumped enough of that stuff into him to level an elephant for a couple days." one of them yelled to another.

"You're a stubborn one aren't ya? Don't get any ideas buddy, we have you and the other two bound but good and I know you don't want anything to happen to them so behave." This from the one who was obviously in charge of the others.

Kale nodded to show he understood and just looked around the cabin searching for the twins.

"_You really are without honor, using children to hide from me. I will have to do something about that sometime."_ he thought to himself as he gave the men an evil an eye as he could muster.

It had it's desired effect as the ones closest to him moved back a bit as if afraid he would hurt them if they were close enough.

"We are on approach for final landing gentlemen. Get the guests ready to unload as soon as we touch down." came over the plane's PA speaker.

Kale felt the deceleration of the plane as it landed and was almost sent to the floor because he had no support against the sudden increase in g-forces, but he managed to adjust himself against the seat in front of him.

Once on the ground they were escorted out of the plane and into harsh sunlight.

Kale blinked several times to get his eyes adjusted and a thought struck him _"It was almost five in the evening when we were ambushed, from the position of the sun here it has to be like ten or so in the morning. Was I out for that long?"_

Looking over both the twins were still out which meant that either they had taken more then one dart each as well or that the tranquilizers were really potent.

"_No wonder they were surprised that I came too so quick."_ he mulled that over before someone clearing their throat brought him back to the present.

"Ah gentlemen, I see you have returned with what I requested and something more as well." came a voice with a somewhat thick South American accent from a little off to Kale's right.

As he looked he recognized the face of one Senor Senior, Senior looking a good bit younger then the previous times he had seen the man and never from his current bound position.

The older man caught the glimmer of recognition it the red heads eyes and waved him forward.

"You seem to know me my young friend. Would one of you be so kind as to remove the gag from this gentleman so we might have a conversation." He stated waving his hand at one of the men for effect.

As the gag was removed Kale spat out "Some of your men need a large helping of courage Senior, they had to resort to using the twins as shields so I wouldn't hurt them. It was without honor and quite distasteful."

Senior chuckled at the outspoken red head "Yes, good help is so hard to come by these days I'm afraid."

"I assume there is a reason you decided to stoop to taking your enemy's family like a common thug. I would at least hope you have not forsaken the Villains Code so completely." Kale said as he raised an eyebrow at the man before him.

Senior smiled broadly as the man beside him just strode next to him rebuking him as if they had talks like this all the time.

"I must confess you have me at a loss my young friend, you speak as if you know me quite well and yet I would remember such an companionable fellow such as yourself." Senior spoke as they made their way into the mansion proper.

He continued "You are correct however, I have had to stoop to common thuggery to achieve my goal as much as it pains me to do so. I wish to free my son from that detestable prison that Global Justice has him in. The most effective way I now see is to trade the family of Kim Possible for my son's freedom."

Kale winced slightly as he realized now that their current situation was partly his doing as he had a large hand in stopping the previous attempt.

"I do know you quite well Senior but that is another place and time I'm afraid. I assume you have already had contact with GJ since it would appear that we have arrived at your island mansion." Kale stated half lost in thought at the times he had spent here back in his own time dealing with Senior the Third.

Senior looked at the red head as Kale gave a slightly sad sigh, looking around lost in his own memories.

"you are quite astute my friend ..I'm sorry I never did ask your name did I?" Senior queried.

Kale started at the question _"Do I tell him my name? No, hmm I need a good alternative...that should __work."_ He thought to himself before answering the elder man beside him.

"My name is Ian, Ian Possible. I'm Kim's older brother, they don't really talk about me much, being the bad sheep and all." Kale lied easily "I would shake your hand but seeing as I'm bound and all..." he left the rest unsaid.

Senior took in the information nodding "I see. Well I regret that I cannot allow you to go free just yet as I do not have my son but yes I have already been in contact with Global Justice. Your sister is on her way as we speak with Junior."

Kale nodded slowly as he was thinking about something that had occurred to him, he spoke as he came to a conclusion "You set up that break in in Germany didn't you? That way Team Possible would be nowhere nearby when you struck."

A broad grin formed across Senior's face "Truly you have a mind for villainy! Yes I did indeed arrange for the burglary as a distraction. Ah, if only Junior could see things this clearly."

Kale shook his head in a slightly amused manner "I'm afraid Junior just isn't cut out for it my friend, perhaps your grandchildren.." Kale stopped mid sentence and mentally slapped himself _"Get a grip! You almost gave things away and you called him friend as though you were back at his side again. Ah Third, you did make your grandfather so proud."_

"I've said too much and I'm afraid these manacles are just too itchy to leave on my wrists so you can have them back." Kale stated as he did indeed hand his cuffs to the guard next to him with a wink.

Senior laughed out loud at the stunned look on his guards face "You are full of surprises are you not, Ian?"

Kale gave a slight shrug of his shoulders "It is the spice of life as they say. Don't worry I will make no moves against you, you still have my brothers. That and I have too much respect for you to do something underhanded to you. I do respect the Code... well most of it. Following all the rules is just too dull."

"I am expecting your sister to be here in just under an hour or so and I would be delighted if you joined me for lunch." Senior looked to Kale, a twinkle in his eyes.

"I would be honored Senior, however I must insist I be allowed to see to my brothers first. I am very protective of my family. I will not do anything to escape before it's due time." Kale spoke softly but with a voice devoid of anything but the hard truth of that statement.

Senior nodded and had two guards follow 'Ian' for show more that anything because he understood what the red head meant.

After making sure the twins were now aware of their surroundings he helped them to the main dining hall making sure to tell them to call him Ian as his name.

As they entered they could see that Senior had prepared a feast for is guests as was his custom _'always one for tradition old man' _Kale laughed to himself.

Seating themselves on opposite sides of the table near their host Senior smiled "Ah, Jim and Tim I see that life has treated you well. How goes your studies hmm?"

The twins smiled back but just mumbled that it was not as much fun when they couldn't blow stuff up.

The rest of lunch went by with light conversation amongst the gathered men the twins just looking at how easily 'Ian' interacted with the elder Senior.

A voice came over the PA system "Sir we have an inbound craft. It identifies itself as carrying your son and Kim Possible."

"Excellent! Let us go greet my son and your sister then." Senior smiled as they got up and moved towards the landing pad.

As the craft came into view Kale could make out Kim's fiery mane against the blue of the GJ hover jet.

They waited for it to land before making their way towards the craft, Junior and Kim making their exit from the craft.

Once free of the hover jet Junior ran to his father crying about how horrible the outfits they made him wear were, Kale just shook his head mimicking Senior without realizing it _"same old Junior."_

Kim had made her way to the twins and hugged them tightly before turning and coming over to Kale.

"I hear you're going by Ian now big brother." she whispered next to Kale's ear as she hugged him.

He nodded "I figured he might do a connect the dots if I told him my name was Kale and besides I think it fits me. Also I am the odd Kale out so I figure your son gets it by default."

Kim smiled "Well I am glad you three are safe. I don't know what Senior has planned but once we get out of it we can head for home."

Kale was about to agree when a shimmer in the air beyond the jet caught his attention "Did anyone follow you by stealth?"

"No I made a promise to come alone and I keep a promise." Kim stated.

Kale was edging both Kim and the twins farther from the jet when he looked to Senior and yelled "Do you have any cloaked craft?"

Both men looked at him and Senior was about to answer when a large black hover jet shimmered into view as it launched two missiles at the grounded jet.

Kale grabbed Kim and the twins and slammed into the two stunned Seniors as the missiles made contact with the jet and the whole landing pad was engulfed in a massive explosion.

When the plume of the detonation dissipated all that could be seen was debris strewn across the pad and flaming jet fuel.

"Mission successful sir. Primary target neutralized. I repeat target Kim Possible is dead. Returning to base."


	21. Spiral Side B

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

A big Thank You to all of you who have left feedback. I appreciate it when people let me know if they like (or even dislike) the story I'm crafting. To the rest of you who are reading it please let me know if you like it.

Now on to the story.

Chapter 21: Spiral Side B

Around twelve hours prior

The three members of Team Possible were leaning against their hover jet as the last of the WEE agents were hauled off by the local authorities.

Shego stretched, completely disinterested in waiting to go home and nudged Kim "I'm bored, let's head out. They've got things covered here."

Kim smiled at her impatient friend "Alright, I think we can do that. Come on Ron, you can get something to eat when we get back."

Ron looked at his wife and hung his head "Aw man. I was hoping to see if they had a Bueno Nacho with anything weird on the menu."

"Ron, their whole menu is weird." Shego chided her friend, laughing at the glare he threw her.

Shego settled into the pilot's seat and put on the headset "Welcome to flight GJ one twelve. Our destination this evening is Middleton. Our estimated flight time is as short as I can make it."

At that statement the craft lifted off and shot into the air before leveling off and darting ahead as she slammed the throttle full open with a wide grin.

After Ron had managed to get his stomach to move back down from his throat he grabbed a headset "This is why I always insist that Kim fly you maniac!"

Kim found her own headset and just listened to the back and forth from her best friend and husband trying not to laugh when one or the other got in a good barb.

Two hours later the comm light on the flight control panel lit up indicating there was a call from headquarters.

Shego turned the PA for the jet on, "Incoming message from base." she then answered the hail "Team Possible here. Go ahead HQ."

In the small crew compartment the LCD lit up and Dr. Director appeared "We have a problem. Kim your brothers have apparently been captured by Senor Senior, Senior. He left a message for you."

The screen cut to Senior, who began talking "Greetings Mrs. Possible. I regret to inform you that I have had to take your brothers as my guests until such time as you release Junior to me. It pains me to have to stoop to such tactics but I wish to be reunited with my son and this would be the quickest way to facilitate that. Please contact me once you have returned from Germany and I shall inform you as to my demands. Good day until then."

The screen cut back to the director "Your mother found that message waiting when she got home earlier and called us immediately. There were signs of a struggle and multiple discarded tranquilizer darts were also discovered. I would surmise that they have Kale as well but there is no concrete proof of that one way or the other. I am sorry Kim, we will do what we can on this end when you get here."

Kim stared ahead with a mixture of grief and rage "All right Betty, we will be there as soon as we can. Team Possible out." with that she cut the connection.

Ron reached over and took Kim's hand "We'll get them back KP. I know they are alright, Senior was always a gentleman about things."

Kim just nodded at him "Shego, Get. Us. Home." She all but barked out.

"Way ahead of you Kim, this thing might fall apart on us but I'm pushing all the speed I can out of this hunk of metal. I agree with Ron, we'll get them back safe. If Kale's with them you don't need to worry about their safety." Shego spoke as she forced the aircraft to perform at speeds it was not designed to go.

As the flight continued in silence Ron thought of something odd from the message from Senior _"Wait a __minute. How did he know where we were?"_

He looked to his wife who was obviously distraught over her brothers "KP? I think Senior might have planned that burglary so he could get your brothers. If I remember right didn't those lab guys specifically ask for us?"

Kim looked at him, her mind working on that "Your right, they did. I was wondering why it was taking those guys so long to get anything out of that lab. They should have been long gone by the time we could get there. Ugh, why didn't I see that."

Shego's voice came over the headset "Don't be too hard on yourself Kim, none of us had any reason to question it at the time. Good deductions there Ron, I knew you had some gray matter in there somewhere." She joked with him trying to lighten the heavy mood slightly.

Ron chose to ignore the jab and Kim just grimaced at it.

Another three hours past in the speeding jet which had to slow down once for a mid air re-fuel before Middleton came into view.

Once they made ground fall they disembarked and made their way to the directors office.

"We're here Director." Kim stated opening the door without bothering to knock.

Ron and Shego followed her in and then closed the door all turning to look at their boss.

Betty shook her head and motioned for them to have a seat. "Kim, I have been in contact with my superiors and they have agreed to release Junior to get your brothers back safely. For all you have done it is the least they could do. They do however want you to know this is a one time thing, we can't give villains the idea that to get someone sprung from prison they can take to kidnapping agents families."

Kim nodded her her "I understand Betty, thank you. So now I have to contact Senior for his 'demands'."

"We have it all ready set up all you have to do is make the call." Dr. director motioned towards her monitor and pushed a few buttons, the monitor flashed to life and Senior nodded from it.

"Ah Mrs. Possible. I again would like to apologize for this deplorable lack of decorum I have had to undertake. I have the greatest respect for you, your friends, and your family. However it is my family which is why I have done this. I hope you have good news."

Kim glared at the older man "Alright Senior, we will trade Junior for my brothers. This one time you understand. But if you EVER do something like this again....."

Senior sighed heavily "I do understand your animosity with me but I wish to see Junior again. There was another with them when my men got there, do you know him? He severely injured two of them before he could be subdued. His hair is almost the same shade as yours..a relative perhaps? No matter, my demands are as follows. You, Mrs. Possible will bring Junior to the coordinates I will send once you are in the air. You will come alone so as to not try anything foolish, I am well aware of both Shego's and your husband's abilities."

He continued "You will change into regular clothes and bring none of your fancy gadgets for the stated reasons, and finally you will not be followed by any other vehicles. Do you agree to this?"

"I don't really have a choice now do I? Fine, I will contact you once I'm in the air with your son." Kim then made a motion with her hand and Betty cut the connection.

Shego was the first to speak "You can't be seriously thinking about going alone Kim. Let one of us stow away on board."

Ron nodded in agreement but Kim shook her head "No, I gave my word that I would come alone and you both know I stand by my word. That's final." she stated flatly seeing Shego was about to argue.

Shego threw up her hands "Fine! You always have to be the goody goody hero. We worry about you Princess, that's why we're upset you agreed to go solo."

"Kim, Shego is right, sometimes you do make us worry about you being too upstanding in your agreements with the villains. I trust your judgement but you have to see our side too." Ron spoke, looking to his wife with loving and worried eyes.

Kim sighed and then walked over and hugged both of them "I'm sorry guys, I realize you worry about me but I'm a big girl now and I think I can handle Senior. Besides, the twins are getting better and if Kale is half the fighter you are Shego we should be golden."

"Heh, yeah I didn't think on it that way. I still wonder how they got him so easily, although if he is as protective of family as you are Kim they probably coerced him with your brothers." Shego sighed, hugging her friend back.

Ron smiled and hugged the both of them "You should get going before we come to our senses and do something intelligent."

Kim finally smiled slightly "Ron, we Possibles always do things intelligently." she jibed him.

Shego laughed at that "Then I guess we'll call your marrying Ron here a lapse of sanity." she quipped before ruffling his hair and hugging the both of them. "At least your kid is cute."

Dr. Director cleared her throat causing the other three to turn and come to attention "I am glad you have calmed down. Agent Possible, good luck and have a safe trip. Now get going."

All three saluted "Yes Ma'am."

They made their way out of the office and toward the quarters they all had at HQ for Kim to get changed and pick up Junior.

After a quick wardrobe change Kim made her way to the detention area where Junior was held "Your father has arranged for your early release Junior, follow me." She stated as she stepped into the room.

The buff man looked up at Kim "Really? Father has freed me? Finally I can dress well again and my tan has suffered so from being indoors for so long." he whimpered and Kim rolled her eyes.

"Lets get a move on Junior, the sooner we leave the sooner I can get my brothers back." she made an usher like move for him to leave the room.

As they made their way towards the jet hanger Junior groused about everything from the food to his clothes and back to his tan _"I wonder if the other inmates are thanking me for getting him out of there."_ Kim thought grumpily.

They entered the hanger and Kim spotted Ron and Shego doing a final prep on one of the hover jets.

Walking over with Junior in tow she greeted them "So does everything look good? No putting any tracking devices on there you two."

Shego finished up in the cockpit and came over while Ron secured Junior in the crew compartment with very detailed instructions to behave and threats of severe bodily harm if anything happened to his wife.

Making sure Junior was secure Ron also made his way over to Kim.

Once the three of them were assembled Shego sighed "I really wish you'd reconsider letting at least one of us hide and tag along." She held up a hand to stop Kim who was about to respond "However, I know how you are 'Miss Too Stubborn For Her Own Good'. Just promise us that you will be careful. Okay?" she finished and hugged her friend again.

Ron joined in the hug "Besides it's your turn to chase the monster out of Kale's closet at three in the morning." He joked to hide how much he was worried about her.

Kim hugged them both as tightly as she could and smiled before they let each other go. "I promise to be careful you two." She hesitated growing very serious "But I want a promise from the two of you as well."

They both blinked and shook their heads somberly dreading what she was about to ask.

"If something does go wrong." She glared at both of them as they opened their mouths to protest. "I'm not saying it will but just if, I want you two to take care of the baby. Okay? I want you two to promise me."

They hated it when she did this both because she made them promise this every time she did a solo mission but because it raised the possibility that she might not be coming back.

Ron and Shego looked to each other and then back to Kim "We promise." they said dejectedly before Shego's trademark fire returned to her eyes "But if you do die I'm going to bring you back so I can kill you myself for making us go through that."

Ron put his hand on Shego's shoulder "That makes two of us, so you'd best be careful Kim." there was no hint of joking in his voice.

They came together for a final hug before Kim climbed into the cockpit looking at her best friends in the world and wondering what she had done to deserve to know two such wonderful people.

After the jet had cleared the hanger and was out of view Shego looked over to her other best friend "Come on Ron, I need to vent some energy and could use a good sparring partner. I think it could do both of us some good."

He just nodded and after one last look to the sky where the jet had disappeared he turned and followed her towards on of the training rooms.

They both had the same thing on their minds _"How would I go on without her?"_ Neither could find an appropriate response.

Once they were airborne Kim set the communications channel to the coordinates that Dr .Director had given her.

"This is Kim Possible. Do you read me Senior?" She spoke into the headset's mouth piece.

"Ah Mrs. Possible there you are. I am sure you have followed the terms of our agreement, you have always had my respect for your ability to keep your word so I shall give you the directions."

After she had input the coordinates for their destination into the flight computer she leaned back in her seat and tried to relax but failed.

The next few hours were tense and stressful for everyone.

Ron and Shego had sparred for almost two hours before they called it quits and after cleaning up they both sat down and spent time with little Kale, wondering what Kim was doing to pass her time during the trip.

Dr. Director was busy with administrating a large international organization but all the while her mind wondered to one particular agent.

She hoped that Kim was going to be okay but she just had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right.

"_Probably just nerves."_ she chided herself.

Agent Possible was more then capable of handling herself.

Kim, for her part was both worried sick about her brothers and bored stiff just waiting for the trip to be over.

She hoped that this would be as easy as she had said it would.

She looked at the fuel meter and called for a mid-air refuel, diverting from her heading so as to not give away her flightpath.

Half an hour later, after she made sure she was not being followed she resumed her original heading.

Junior had started whining about it taking so long to get home but quieted down after Kim gave him a stare that would make a two star general cringe.

The island where the Senior's mansion sat came into view a little over an hour later _"Finally."_ she thought warily.

"Ground, this is Global Justice hover jet requesting landing coordinates for the delivery of Senor Senior,Junior." Kim spoke into the headset pickup.

"Hover jet, the coordinates have been uploaded we will be expecting you." came the reply.

As she brought the jet in for landing she could see the men gathered nearby on the landing pad.

Setting the jet down smoothly she unhooked herself and moved into the crew cabin to release Junior and open the side door to depart.

Junior rushed past her, running to his father complaining loudly about how horrible the wardrobe was at the prison.

She made her way over to Jim and Tim hugging them both tightly and only just holding back tears, they seemed no worse for wear.

Before she pulled back Jim whispered in her ear "Kim, Kale is going by Ian with Senior. He also told him he was your older brother. It's good to see you sis." he finished giving her a quick tight squeeze before pulling away.

She moved towards Kale who was shaking his head at Junior's antics.

"I hear you're going by Ian now big brother." she whispered next to Kale's ear as she hugged him.

He nodded "I figured he might do a connect the dots if I told him my name was Kale and besides I think it fits me. Also I am the odd Kale out so I figure your son gets it by default."

Kim smiled "Well I am glad you three are safe. I don't know what Senior has planned but once we get out of it we can head for home."

Kale was looking past her with an odd look on his face before he asked her a question "Did anyone follow you by stealth?"

She shook her head "No I made a promise to come alone and I keep a promise." Kim stated.

She did wonder if Dr. Director had sent a second cloak enabled craft to make sure she was safe but that didn't make much sense.

Kale had started moving her and the twins away from the hover jet at this point _"What's he doing?"_ Kim wondered.

He looked over to the two other men on the landing pad then looked back towards the jet before calling out to them "Do you have any cloaked craft?"

Senior and Junior both blinked at the question but before either could answer a large black jet shimmered into view beyond the GJ hover jet launching two missiles in the process.

She felt Kale's muscles tighten as he picked her and the twins up as if they were rag dolls and began running towards the two stunned men.

He slammed into them as the missiles impacted with the jet, detonating it instantly.

She heard the roar of the flames and felt the heat as it bloomed into being less then a couple hundred feet from them _"This is how we die then."_ she thought, unusually calm.

Then the blast engulfed them.

At GJ Headquarters Dr. Elizabeth Director stood staring at her monitor in shock.

Less then six minutes ago someone had hacked into the GJ mainframe and was broadcasting live video feed that showed a GJ hover jet landing on a landing pad with several males visible nearby.

She immediately recognized Senor Senior, Senior, both of the Possible twins and she assumed the red head with them was Kale.

There was voice chatter with the video "We have visual contact with target, orders?"

"Standby at this time."

"Roger that, standing by."

Kim and Junior exited the craft and the buff man ran towards his father as Kim made her way towards her brothers and Kale.

The director had barked out an order to track the source as soon as it started but there had been no luck yet.

She watched as Kim walked over to Kale from her brothers and then Kale seemed to stare directly at the camera.

The chatter started again "We may have been made, do we wait or engage?"

"Hold for now until you have confirmation of blown cover."

"Roger."

Kale had started pulling Kim and the twins away from the jet on the ground and turned towards the other two males for a moment before turning back to look at the camera and appearing to yell something.

"We have been made. Orders?"

"Engage."

"Roger that. Cloak off, missiles away."

Betty watched in horror as she realized Kale saw the missiles inbound and was trying to save everyone.

She watched as he picked Kim and the twins up as if they weighed nothing and ran towards the Seniors who were rooted on the spot staring at the craft that had materialized out of nowhere and fired.

He slammed into them as the missiles struck the hover jet and it exploded, engulfing the entire area that they had been occupying.

When the plume of the detonation dissipated all that could be seen was debris strewn across the pad and flaming jet fuel.

She then heard the video chatter "Mission successful sir. Primary target neutralized. I repeat target Kim Possible is dead. Returning to base."

The monitor went dark as the feed went dead.

She then heard a scream from outside her office, it was Shego's voice.

"KIMMIE!! KALE!! NOOOOOOOO!!"


	22. The Light

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Screaming Phoenix: Thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate that someone is enjoying the story and willing to let me know.

Now on the the show (Bwhahahaha).

Chapter 22: The Light........

"KIMMIE!! KALE!! NOOOOOOO!!"

As those words ripped themselves from the pale woman's lips she sank to the floor, eyes still fixed on the now dark screen that had just shown everyone in the room the impossible;someone had killed Kim Possible.

Ron stood beside her, stood because his shock was so great his mind couldn't even get a signal to his legs to give out.

They had been in Kim and Ron's GJ apt having just put Kale down for his nap when the video feed had started broadcasting, so they had started for Dr. Director's office to find out what was going on.

As they made their way there more and more people were staring at the scene playing out on the monitors.

Rounding a corner and almost to Betty's door, they stopped when they heard the voice confirm the order to engage and watched in horror as the missiles came into view.

As they stuck the jet and exploded, all Shego could do was think that this wasn't real, that someone was faking a video but somehow she knew that was not the case.

Ron started to shudder, his mind reeling from the news his eyes had sent him _"It's not real, it can't be. It can't be..." _His thoughts kept repeating that as if it would make it a reality.

Betty slowly opened her door and looked out at the surrounding area, there were agents all staring at the monitors, struck dumb to a person.

Some of them were looking to the two members of Team Possible, not sure what to do.

Shaken from her own stupor she found Will still at his desk "Help me get Ron and Shego to the training room near my office." she whispered to him while pulling him to his feet.

She moved to the stricken raven haired woman and slowly brought her to her feet and maneuvered her towards the room as Will followed suit with Ron, neither person seemed to be aware of what was happening.

Betty had lost agents before and had even had to console their families but she knew that she had two of the most powerful people she had ever encountered in a state of shock.

Soon that would give way to anger, she wanted them somewhere as reinforced as possible when that happened.

Shego had been dimly aware of the fact she was moving and only when she stopped did she start to look around and spotted Dr. Director, the woman who had let Kimmie go alone to her death "YOU!" she roared as she charged her plasma and swung at the other female.

Betty barely had time to realize Shego had started coming around before she saw the fire and rage in the woman's eyes and had to fall back to avoid the flaming right hand that came for her face.

"Shego Stop!" She barked and she dodged another wild swing from the plasma wielding female, thanking the fact that Shego was not using any of her formidable knowledge of martial arts or she would be nothing more then a stain.

Will saw what was happening and went to stop shego from injuring their boss.

He managed to knock her off balance with a shoulder block but she quickly recovered and turned to face her new assailant and he shrank back at the look in her eyes, they screamed for blood and he was now her target.

Dr . Director managed to sweep his legs out from under him as Shego charged forward, sending Will to the floor and Shego running past him, barely missing his head with her swing.

As she turned to renew her attack Shego could hear Dr. Director talking but in her rage she ignored the woman, advancing on the two people on the floor in front of her with pure malice in her dark green eyes.

Just as she raised her had to strike she was slammed into from her left and pinned to the wall by a body wreathed in blue.

Ron held her there "What are you doing?" he demanded staring at her his own eyes as hard as hers.

Shego struggled to get free him but he held firm "She let Kim go by herself. She let my best friend go alone to her death." she screamed at him.

Ron's eyes narrowed "Do you think I don't know what happened? Do you think I don't know how you feel? SHE'S MY WIFE!!!" he screamed back at her.

At his words Shego stopped struggling and her plasma died as her rage left her and the pain and sorrow rushed in to fill the void.

"Oh...oh God..Ron. W..w..what did I almost do? We should have insisted that one of us went with her." the tears started to stream down her face as she slumped forward to her friend who had also started crying.

He shook his head "And what? What good would that have done ? We would have still been hiding on the jet when it blew up. If we had followed her we still would have probably not been able to do anything in time."

By this time both of them had collapsed to their knees and were holding each other weeping freely.

Will and Dr. Director both sat there silently when Ron looked over to them "I want to know where she was, and I want to know yesterday." his voice, although choked with emotion, left no doubt that it was not a request.

Betty nodded and stood up, helping Will to his feet as well.

She was about to speak when her communicator went off.

"This had better be good." she stated as she activated it.

Wade's voice emanated from the device "I wish I could give you good news. I'm still trying to trace that transmission but so far I've gotten no closer to finding out where it originated. That's not the bad news however, I'm afraid that whoever did this wanted everyone to know. The video was broadcast via satellite across the globe."

As the implications of that hung in the air Wade finally realized something "Kim's parents. If they saw that video....."

"They just watched their children die." Betty finished for him as the color drained from her face.

She looked to Will "Get them here now, Ron's parents and sister as well. I don't anything else to happen to this family."

He saluted and ran from the room to grab a few other agents and get moving.

She turned back to Ron and Shego "I am sorry that this happened and I swear that we will find out who did this. When we do......"

She stopped when she realized that the two individuals in front of her were both propped up on each other asleep, the grief and exhaustion of having been up for over twenty four hours had finally caught up with them.

As she stood there Wade spoke up again not having cut the connection "Director I don't have a fix on where Kim was but I think I might be able to find out by comparing satellite images to the time frame of the explosion. It should narrow our search parameters and allow us to locate her quicker."

"Do it then. Wade send a couple of medical staff up here to help get Ron and Shego to the medical wing. I think they need to get some rest and might need to be monitored." she stated and then cut off her communicator.

She waited until Ron and Shego had been helped out of the room before leaving, then made her way back to her office.

Once there she set to make sure that there were agents observing Team Possibles' respective homes as well as their families homes in case someone did try something.

After she had done that she realized she had not slept in a long time herself as she caught herself almost falling headfirst onto her desk "No rest for the vigilant." she muttered, shaking her head to wake up.

Wade was pouring over the data that was streaming in from various satellites, some showing thermal blooms and others showing different various explosions.

So far nothing stood out as the one he was searching for.

Drew in the meantime, was still trying to find the transmission's origin.

It had been bounced off of several different satellites as well and ground sources and was therefore almost impossible to trace, key word _almost_.

Drew Lipsky was known for many things but quitting on a friend was not one of them.

Yes, he did consider Kim Possible a friend, she may have once been his enemy but she had stuck up for him after both he and Shego had given up crime and he would always be grateful for that.

It might take him a while to get the answers he was looking for but between himself and Wade he knew that it was only a question of when not if.

He spared a glance from his work to look at his partner, the younger dark skinned genius was taking the news hard but it was understandable.

He had known Kim for over half of his life and had always looked up to her, she had always seemed invincible to Wade and to watch that video had crushed him.

Drew then thought about those closer to Kim and vowed to make sure whoever had done this would pay ten fold.

Will had made it to Kim's parents house thankfully before the press and after getting both of them to stop trying cave his skull in for being a part of the organization that Kim worked for and had sent her with no back up as far as they could see, he managed to get them loaded into the vehicle he arrived in and hightailed it back to HQ.

As they rode towards GJ, the grief stricken parents just looked at Will as he offered his sincerest apologies and told them that he and everyone in his department would not rest until they had found and 'dealt' with the perpetrators of this act.

When they arrived at GJ the Stoppables were just being brought in as well, the two families greeted each other and then turned as Dr. Director made her appearance.

The air was thick with tension as the Possibles glared at the woman and the Stoppables looked at the grieving parents with understandable eyes.

Betty looked at Ron's parents "Your son is in the medical wing with Shego under sedation and observation if you wish to go see him. These agents will show you the way." she said, waving two female agents over and the Stoppables mutely followed them out of the room.

She then looked to Kim's parents and shrank back slightly under their gaze "Anne, James, I am terribly sorry that this has happened. If I had known something like this was going to occur I would never have sent Kim out. We would have found some other way to get the twins back, you have to believe me."

Anne felt her husband tense up and squeezed his hand "Betty, I don't think words are going to fix the fact that we just lost our children because someone had something against Kim or Global Justice."

Betty nodded and sighed heavily "I know, I wish I had been able to do_ something_ to prevent this but I just can't think straight at the moment. I run a multinational law enforcement agency and I was unable to stop this. I just feel so useless."

Tears started to well up as she finally hit her emotional limit and everything she had been suppressing broke it's way to the surface.

Shocked out of their own state of hate for the woman who was now breaking down in front of them both James and Anne caught Betty as her legs gave out.

They looked to each other and then to the woman being held up between them as they realized that she had also considered Kim a friend and was hurting as well.

"Betty, we are upset but we forgot that Kim was your friend too. We apologize for being so hateful." Anne said to the brunette as she helped hold her.

"No, you have every right to say what you said Anne. I'm sorry for this but I haven't slept for a good twenty eight hours or so and am in no condition to think." Betty replied.

"I think you should go to their apt and get Kale. He was still sleeping when we checked but you should be there when he wakes up." Dr. Director stated, finally getting herself under some control. "I am going to go to the medical wing myself and try and get a little rest so I can think on this with a fresher mind. I really wish there was something else I could do."

She hugged both of them and then made her way towards medical.

As they made their way toward the apt the couple were given condolences from the agents that they past, it seems Kim had made a very significant impact on a lot of the people they met.

Once in the apt Anne stopped in the doorway of Kale's bedroom, he was still asleep "Oh little one, how are we going to explain that your mommy isn't coming back?" she whispered.

James came up behind his wife and held her as she started sobbing "It's not fair James, he should have both his parents here."

He nodded "I know Anne, but we will be here for him and Ron as well. We will do the best we can. Now let's let him sleep." he said moving his distraught wife from the room and towards the living room.

Several hours later Shego finally awoke from the exhaustion and grief induced sleep she had fallen into.

As she looked around groggily she saw Ron was in the bed next to hers and his parents were with him, she heard a noise from her right and when she looked Kim's parents were there holding Kale.

Anne came over and took her hand "Are you okay Shego? No, Of course not, what a stupid thing to ask someone at a time like this." she berated herself.

Shego stared at the older red headed woman "Anne? Oh Lord, Anne! I'm sorry. I should have never let her go alone! I...."

James had come over by this point "Young lady, you stop apologizing right now. We know there was nothing that anybody could have done. Kim insisted on going alone and we all know when she sets her mind to it nothing is going to stop her." he admonished her, the pain evident in his voice.

Wade came through the door followed by Drew who came over to his ex-sidekick's bed.

He looked to the Possibles and Shego "I.. I don't know what to say. James, Anne, I'm sorry this happened. I believe I had begun to think she was invincible. I will find out all I can to help you, I will help make this as right as I can."

James looked at him "Thank you Drew. Kim has done amazing things hasn't she? You used to try and stop her and she always bounced back. She even fought for you two after nobody would give you the benefit of a doubt. She's an amazing woman."

Wade was doing his best not to cry but he did anyway. "I wish I could have done more, maybe made her something that could have helped protect them."

Shego looked at him "You know Kim would have not taken it due to her making a promise not to. It's not your fault Wade. None of us thought this could happen."

He nodded that he understood "I just wish she would have worn her battle suit. If she had maybe she could have used her shield or something to block the blast or used the speed enhancements to get them out of the way."

Shego started when he said that "Shield?" she mumbled.

Wade, not noticing her staring off in thought replied "Yeah the shield that was integrated into her suit. You've seen it before."

She wasn't listening to him, instead she was playing the video over in her head _"Why did you grab them and then hit the Seniors?"_ she thought to herself.

The pieces started to fall into place "He was doing what a Possible would do. He was trying to save everyone. Oh Red, please tell me you are half as clever as I hope you are." she stated out loud, still lost in thought as things started to make sense to her for his odd actions.

Ron had heard her as well as everyone near her bed "Shego? What do you mean?" he asked somewhat perplexed.

She turned to the dark skinned teen, only half hearing the question that had been asked "Wade, I need you to bring up the video and slow down the footage right before the explosion."

He was taken aback slightly at her request and looked to the others to see if it was okay.

Kim's parent's nodded their consent as did Ron so he pulled out a small remote and using the monitor nearby pulled up the footage.

As it played through the now familiar footage Wade hit a few buttons and as the missiles came into view he slowed it down to a crawl.

Shego watched Kale move towards the Seniors, carrying Kim and both Jim and Tim like they weighed nothing "Come on Sparky, please be doing what I think you are."

As he slammed into the two men in the top of the screen the missiles were starting their detonation against the jet in the lower portion.

There was a flash as the jet exploded and then a second flash was seen where Kale and the other had been.

Wade noticed that "A double explosion? That second flash would have gone unnoticed, how did you know about it Shego?"

Everyone had turned to her and she was grinning like a kid in a candy store, she had recognized that second flash's color.

"Wade, can you refocus on where Kim, Kale and the twins are right before that flash and make it slower?" she asked not taking her eyes off the screen.

He blinked at her "Yeah I think I can, but why? It would help if I knew what I was looking for."

"I'll let you know as soon as you do that for me. Wade, Please." she now looked at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty but excitement at the same time.

He nodded and zoomed in on the five figures just before the missiles hit.

The quality wasn't the greatest but they could make out some facial expression on Kim and Kale.

As the footage crept forward Kim's face took on a serene quality while Kale's was one of utter concentration and determination.

There was a flash off screen as the jet exploded and then Kale's face shifted as his eyes opened, his features becoming almost Zen-like.

At the same time there appeared a pale yellow bloom from his back that rapidly swelled to surround the group of six just before the screen was obscured by the flames of the explosion.

"What was that?" Wade exclaimed "Did Kim take a shield generator with her after all?"

Shego shook her head "No Wade. What you just saw was all Sparky. When we were at Go Tower we determined that his ability was basically like an EM based shielding. Thats why he ran into the Seniors after getting Kim and the twins. He was getting them as close together as he could to shield them all better."

There was a sparkle in her eyes, one of hope "There's a chance that they're still alive."

Ron turned to Wade and Drew "Find me where she's at. We've got people to rescue."


	23. At The End Of The Tunnel

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does.

Chapter 23:...At The End Of The Tunnel

"_This is how we die then."_

The thought passed through Kim's mind just before she felt the force of the blast lift the group off the ground and throw them through the air.

She remembered seeing trees begin to pass her and thinking it odd that she could see them after being engulfed in a fireball. She then felt herself impact with something hard and the world fell into darkness.

Sometime later she began to feel again as awareness returned to her.

"_Who knew being dead would hurt so much."_ she thought as the pain from multiple bruises and small cuts weaved their way through her nerve endings.

As she opened her eyes and looked around at her surroundings she noticed that she was not alone and was very much alive.

Nearby she saw the forms of four other people, all prone and unmoving.

"Jim, Tim!" she called out, seeing her brothers only about fifteen feet from her.

Ignoring her protesting body she got up and moved to see if they were all right.

Tim was laying on his left side and showed signs of a rough landing but was otherwise fine, Jim fared about the same but was laying face down, oddly neither one showed signs of being burned at all.

She shook the two teenagers "Jim, Tim wake up. Come on guys."

As they came to they started grumbling about being sore all over, Kim sighed in relief "Well it sounds like you two are alright."

As she made her way over two the other two males she realized it was Senior and Junior, both looked to be in the same condition as she and the twins had been; some scrapes and bruises but no burns.

She started to panic a bit because she still had not seen Kale anywhere.

Senior was the first to come around and as he sat up he saw Kim looking franticly for her brother.

He stood and after making sure Junior was unhurt began to assist in the search "Mrs. Possible, I thank you for not following my directions this time." he stated.

Kim stopped and looked at the elder man "What are you talking about Senior? I did exactly what you asked me to."

The older man stood there for a moment looking at her closely "I refer to the fact that you obviously had some kind of shielding device on you. There is no other way we could have survived that explosion."

She shook her head "I'm telling you I did not bring anything just like you asked me too. When I saw those missiles coming I thought we were all dead, if Kale hadn't grabbed the twins and I we would have still been standing there when they hit."

Senior seemed to think on that information for a moment "Do you think he may have had such a device on him? I did think it was odd that he appeared to be getting all of us as close as possible."

Kim nodded "We can ask him when we find him so lets get back to looking. I think he should be close by seeing as we were all within a fairly small grouping."

They found him ten minutes later about fifty feet away from the rest of them, he had fared the worst of all of them.

He was laying face down, the fabric of the gi that had covered him was in rags and showed signs of heavy scorching, the uniform underneath was torn in places but otherwise showed no signs of damage.

There were multiple fragments of metal embedded in his back and legs but the odd thing was he showed no signs of burns even though it was obvious that he had taken part of the blast.

Seeing him in such a state Kim ran to his side, hoping that he was still alive.

As she gently checked for vital signs she noticed that the shrapnel did not embed itself as deeply as she would have thought it should have, most of it had only gone in an inch or less by the looks of it.

His pulse and breathing, although shallow were steady but considering his injuries Kim was not sure if they would stay that way for long without treatment.

She looked to Senior "We need to get him medical help. Do you have any medical supplies in the house?"

"If the house is still standing, yes. I do wonder how we managed to get so far from it however." he stated looking in the direction of the mansion.

They had come to rest from what they could guess about four hundred yards or so from the blast area with only minor injuries.

After getting Junior and the twins gathered they gently lifted Kale between the two brothers and started towards the still smoldering area they had been thrown from earlier.

Kim was wary as they came closer to the mansion, she was worried that there still might be someone around looking for survivors and she didn't want to give them the chance to finish what they had failed to do previously.

Walking through the dense foliage they could make out where they had come through and were somewhat startled to realize that the path was several feet off the ground and had a couple trees that had obviously been in the way were knocked over.

They looked to each other with the same unspoken question _"What happened here?"_ and then looked to the injured Kale, all wondering in their own way why he was the only one to take real damage.

As they came closer to the clearing the mansion came into full view.

The side closest to the blast was smoldering but any fires that had started were clearly out now, the edge of the forest was in a similar state so they had no worries about the fires getting any worse.

After several minutes making sure that there was no one around they made their break for the cover of the mansion and made it inside with no complications.

Several minutes later they had laid Kale down on a table they had padded with towels so that Kim could get the shrapnel out and get Kale bandaged with a minimum of difficulty.

Once she was certain that he was as patched up as she could make him and that he was stable for the moment she found Senior and her brothers "Well, he should be fine for a while but we really need to figure out what happened and who attacked us."

The others nodded and Senior moved to take Kim's hand "Mrs. Possible... No. Kim, I would apologize for what has happened here. I never meant to put your brothers in the way of danger we have found ourselves in, I only wanted to have my son back with me."

Kim looked at him for a long moment before speaking "Senior, I realize that you only wanted Junior back but kidnapping my brothers was low, for you to do it even more so. I do want to know who attacked us and why they wanted us dead as that was their obvious intent."

He nodded as he let her hand go "I too wish to know who would attack my island. It does worry me that someone would do so in such a brazen manner."

Junior, who had gone to change clothes, had also turned on the television to watch something while everyone else was busy "Father, we are on the news." his voice rang out from the room he occupied.

Everyone moved into the room to see what he was going on about so he turned up the volume "..ill have no further information about the validity of the video. I truly hope that it turns out to be a tasteless hoax but since no one has come forward with any details regarding it either way we shall just have to wait and see." the announcer stated.

"If you are just joining us, the top story is the possible killing of renowned adventurer Kim Possible as well as at least five other individuals as seen in the following video footage."

The video then began to play.

"We have visual contact with target, orders?"

"Standby at this time."

"Roger that, standing by."

Kim and Junior exited the craft and the buff man ran towards his father as Kim made her way towards her brothers and Kale.

Kim walked over to Kale from her brothers and then Kale seemed to stare directly at the camera.

The chatter started again "We may have been made, do we wait or engage?"

"Hold for now until you have confirmation of blown cover."

"Roger."

Kale had started pulling Kim and the twins away from the jet on the ground and turned towards the other two males for a moment before turning back to look at the camera and appearing to yell something.

"We have been made. Orders?"

"Engage."

"Roger that. Cloak off, missiles away."

They watched Kale pick Kim and the twins up as if they weighed nothing and ran towards the Seniors who were rooted on the spot staring at the craft that had materialized out of nowhere and fired.

He slammed into them as the missiles struck the hover jet and it exploded, engulfing the entire area that they had been occupying.

When the plume of the detonation dissipated all that could be seen was debris strewn across the pad and flaming jet fuel.

The video chatter returned "Mission successful sir. Primary target neutralized. I repeat, target Kim Possible is dead. Returning to base."

They all stared at the screen as the TV anchor began speaking again "This video was broadcast to every television satellite simultaneously several hours ago, we still have no further information regarding the validity of the video."

Kim was the first to find her voice "How did we survive that? We were way to close to that explosion for a shield generator to have held up."

Senior shook his head "I honestly do not know. I would like to know who wanted you dead so badly that they were willing to destroy everyone around you however. It does seem a bit too cold hearted for most of your normal foes does it not?"

She nodded her agreement with his statement when another thought struck both her and the twins at the same time "It was broadcast everywhere!"

The twins looked at Kim "Mom and dad must have seen this by now! We need to let them know we're alright!"

Kim was thinking of others that would have seen it by now "Ron! Shego! They must be going out of their minds!"

She turned to Senior, her mind already formulating ideas "Do you have In-Terror-Net access here? I need to send a message to Wade and the others but I think that the regular channels might be compromised. They knew where to find me before I did so they must have been able to listen in on our conversation."

He blinked "Ah, I may have the means to such a service but I would be remiss if I were to let someone who did not usually use it gain access to it."

Kim looked at Senior as she considered her next sentence "I understand what you mean, however Azure Vulpes has had access to such activity for some time."

Senior stared at her as he meaning became clear "Why Mrs. Possible, you are more devious then I had ever hoped. Of course I can get you access, just a moment."

He turned and moved over to a large bookcase and after moving several books to different locations it slid aside revealing a desk and computer setup.

She moved to the chair giving him her thanks before logging on.

After getting on-line she found that Wade was not on at the moment so she sent him a message hoping he would log on before too long.

To: Tech Lord

From: Azure Vulpes

Bug spray..need more bug spray

Tech, Kit is fine as are Romulus and Remus. The Traveler is worse for wear but good. Tell Dragon and Sloth that the Dead Sea sucks. Next time they pick the vacation spot. Also be careful, the mosquitoes are big this year.

See you all soon;

AV

Senior, who had watched her send the coded message raised an eyebrow "Do you think that will be enough for them to go on? I realize that you had to be vague but what you sent was confusing even for me."

Kim looked to her brothers who nodded their understanding and smiled, she looked back to Senior "Okay I will try to explain then."

"I realized that we were going to be at your Mediterranean mansion after you gave me those GPS headings. I figure that they will be looking for us after seeing that video so I gave them clues to look in this area." she paused to see the older man nod that he understood.

Upon his nod she continued "The bit about Romulus and Remus was in reference to the twins and another clue since they were the twins who supposedly founded Rome. The other clue was of course the Dead Sea and the bit about mosquitoes and bug spray was obviously in reference to the communication channels being compromised. Kit referred to myself and Traveler referred to K.... Ian." Kim mentally kicked herself at almost saying Kale's name to Senior and sighed slightly when she saw that he recognized that she had slipped up.

Before he could question her she placed her hand on his shoulder "I don't know exactly why he gave you a false name but before you think ill of him why don't you wait until you can ask him yourself."

The elder Senior sighed "I do believe you are right. I shall hold judgement until such time as I can resolve this with him personally."

"Well aside from making sure we are set for food and other things I guess we wait for a response." Kim stated sitting down.

Everyone in the room agreed and settled in for the wait, if they had been in the room with Kale they might have noticed the faint yellow-green glow that enveloped his body.

Kale opened his eyes to a somewhat familiar sight, the ground was a golden yellow and the sky was a deep blue with large green clouds overhead "Okay I guess I'm not dead then." he surmised, picking himself up off the ground.

Looking around he could see for a good distance this time with no fog to obscure his vision.

He shrugged and thought about what had transpired before he awoke here, wherever here was.

There had been that jet shimmering into view and firing those missiles at the hover jet, he had gathered Kim and the twins up and had started running at top speed towards the Seniors hoping to try and shield them all from the coming blast.

He remembered trying to pull all that he had into a good shield and realizing he didn't have enough.

Then he heard that voice in his head _"You have all you need, just say the word. However if you do this things might get a bit odd."_

He didn't even hesitate _"Do it. I accept any consequence that might arise from this but I will NOT fail them, not this time."_

He felt as though a dam broke loose within him and suddenly as he felt the jet behind them explode all that power came to the surface and engulfed the entire group.

As the blast wave struck he felt the shield reshape itself to ride the shockwave away from the area.

Through the trees they started to fly, but Kale could feel his power fading and just before the ground came up to meet them he passed out.

"Which leads me back to now. Why am I here again?" he wondered aloud.

A voice behind him spoke, a very familiar voice "I did warn you it would get a bit odd."

He spun around to stare straight into the face that belonged to that voice, his own.

His doppelganger stared back at him with an amused look upon his face "Welcome to your dreamscape, your Id, whatever you want to call it. I can see that we are going to have an interesting time talking here and I do think we have a good bit of time judging from the drain it was to survive that."

Kale stared blankly at, well himself "You..you're me? How is that even possible?!"

"And I'm supposed to be smart. Yes I am you but; I am also NOT you." His twin said almost laughing at the confused look on Kale's face.

He continued "I am the you that was. You are the Kale that is. I realize it makes little sense to you at the moment but it will I assure you. For now call me Liam."

Kale blinked "Okay...what? The me that was, what does that even mean? Are you like some sort of manifestation of my mind or what? I've finally gone over the edge haven't I? Great, just great."

Liam couldn't stop from laughing anymore and let loose a might gut busting guffaw.

After getting himself back under some control he looked to the now incensed Kale "It means exactly what it sounds like, I am the you that was. You may not remember it, in fact I'm sure you don't or this wouldn't be a problem. There are gaps in your memory, I know what goes in those gaps. That is what makes me the you that was."

Kale balked at this "Gaps, what gaps? I seem to be able to recall everything that I would consider important. I think you're just trying to confuse me."

Liam leaned over "Wouldn't that mean I'm trying to confuse myself then?"

Kale shot a glare towards his mind twin who just smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Kale shook his head and sat down on the ground and motioned for Liam to do the same, which he did.

"Alright, I'll admit you've got my curiosity up. What gaps are you talking about?" he asked his counterpart.

Liam smiled in a way that Kale felt was like a brother about to spill a secret to his other "Well maybe gap was the wrong term seeing as you do have memories of the events I'm going to tell you about but they are fabricated versions of what actually happened. It was done this way for the safety of everyone involved."

"So I had my memories altered then. What happened that this was even acceptable? It must have been pretty bad......wait, part of it has to do with Chel doesn't it." Kale asked, almost fearful of the answer.

Liam nodded slowly, a pained look spread across his features "Yes part of it does, a large part in fact. Because of what happened at that point it was deemed prudent to seal your actual memories of the events and fabricate appropriate new memories so that you would not notice any discrepancy."

Kale just looked on as Liam continued "How you came into your comet born abilities is more or less accurate but thats where the modified memories start. When you shattered that scepter you were still in control of Hego's ability, between that and the energy flux of the shattered crystal the comet fragment you had on you was reactivated and you absorbed it giving you the ability of the shielding you have. The catch was because of prior contacts with the comet born abilities your mother had her genetic make up had been altered by it."

Liam let that sink in for a moment "You were going to have something akin to a comet power as you grew up anyway but because of what happened that power was altered. Now everyone's best guess is that it became something of a mimic ability because you could still manifest Hego's power after it had been returned to him. All this was changed so that you would not recall any of that and did not remember you had any abilities. This means that all the knowledge of how to control your abilities was also suppressed."

Kale stopped him "What happened to make them come to this kind of conclusion? I mean I could have been much more effective if I'd known I could do what you say. And I had or rather have access to Hego's power?"

Liam gave Kale a slight glare "I am getting to that if you'll give me a chance. I'm just giving you background that you'll need, trust me on this it will become clear."

Kale nodded slightly "Sorry, please continue."

"Now then, You did learn how to use your powers rather effectively. You were a great asset to Team Go for a while, yes you actually did fight as a member for a while. Didn't you ever wonder why your middle name was Drago? It was a homage to your step mom and her friend Drew Lipsky also known as Dr. Drakken. They were your godparents, so your mom thought an amalgam of their names was appropriate for your middle name. You used it with pride I can tell you that much. After Hego's bossing got to be too much you resigned from the team under the condition you didn't turn to evil, Hego was afraid you were going down the same path Shego took. You did start doing solo missions ala Team Possible for a while as well." Liam shifted and was quiet for a few moments as he thought of the best way to bring up what had actually happened on the night Kale lost all control.

Kale saw that Liam was troubled and decided to try and lighten the mood a bit "All this memory modification and they make me remember the time I found that old septic system the hard way, that's just wrong I tell you."

Liam snorted "I remember that, it took a week to get rid of that smell. Man I thought Aunt Isabel was going to skin me just to cut down on the stench."

He looked to kale "Thanks, I guess we really can get morose at times huh? I really don't know how to tell you the next part without pain so I apologize in advance."

Kale shrugged "You can't help what happened to me in the past but you can help me come to grips with it and for that I thank you. I do have one question though, how did they do the memory modification?"

Liam looked at Kale with an almost dead look in his eyes "They didn't modify them, you did. You modified them all on your own and did such a bang up job that they could find no trace of them in here and trust me they tried. They got the best psychics they could find after they found out about it and got nada for their efforts. I think that was the reason the let you return to active duty and didn't put you in the deepest darkest hole they could find and turn it into a freezer."

Kale blanched "Why would they try to cryo me? What did I do?"

Liam sighed _"Now or never" _he thought before speaking "What you remember about the incident with Chel and after were altered to a large extent. Did you ever wonder why you have such a strong reaction to mind control in any form? During the ambush those cyborgs managed to subdue you long enough for one of them to get a neural compliance chip on you. After that they brought you to _Tanner_." The venom in Liam's voice was evident as he spoke that name.

"He had already captured Chel and had her bound. When the group with you appeared, Chel could tell something was wrong. I remember how it was trapped in your body looking out into those blue eyes of hers and not able to do a thing to help her. You remember how she looked after the beating, what you....what you don't remember is the fact that Tanner ordered you to give it. The sick bastard even told you to state what you felt as you administered it. I'm sorry but I can't repeat it, you'll have to find the courage to look into those memories yourself." Liam stopped for the moment tears streaming down his face as he relived some of the worst memories in their life.

Kale's face was twisted with rage as he found new reason to hate a dead man.

Liam gathered himself and started again "After he had gotten bored with that little game he had you back off and stand at attention as he threatened Chel, but he left your ability to speak your mind active. When he had you groveling to spare her life you know what happened. I guess the chips were never designed to take the stress that you put it under and it fried but by that point you weren't in the driver's seat. That glow you remember was the manifestation of both your shield and strength coalescing into one ability, that's why you remembered a green glow. Somehow you could still recall that even after the modification you had done. Everything after that happened pretty much the way it happened, the only difference being that just before you ..um disposed of Tanner he told you who had supplied the chip."

"It was Gemini, leader of W.E.E.. Do you remember the stories for about six months after Chel died about a villain named Rage who destroyed W.E.E. from the ground up and anything that got in his way?" Liam looked to Kale with a worried paler to his face.

Kale, who could barely think with the anger welling up inside him looked to Liam who had apparently asked him a question "Rage... I think I remember that name. Yeah, now that I think about it he destroyed a couple small towns that housed W.E.E. operations and then he just disappeared of the face of the earth."

As he thought over what Liam had just told him things began to connect "You don't mean...you can't....you mean I was Rage don't you? I was that madman who destroyed those towns. There were innocents there and ..and I killed them." he stared off as the full weight of what he had realized came crashing down upon him.

Liam moved closer and put his hands on his distraught twins shoulders "We can't change what happened but we can go forward and do our best to atone for the past. That is part of why I decided to start helping now, that and it's easier to do that if we're still alive so I had to help you tap into what you were not able to use yet."

Kale looked up at Liam and sighed "I hate to admit it but you make a good point. I've a fresh start in this universe and I've a family to protect here. I can't change my past but I WILL help this present and future. I can't forgive myself for what I did but I will try and make amends as best I can. Maybe that's what Chel meant."

Liam cocked his head to one side "I think I remember that encounter, I was hoping I wasn't just losing my fragile little mind. Back to the discussion at hand, after you modified your memories your powers went dormant for the most part of their own accord. You still had your enhanced strength and healing but that was all. I think the rift incident rekindled your abilities and your mimic power copied the first power that it came across."

"When you got into combat with Brianna your shielding saved your hide, I'm pretty sure without it she would have almost cleaved you in two with that strike. Instead she only got a in an inch or so and then you copied her plasma ability. That is why you can do that now but you still need a lot of training to use it properly. I can help you a bit with the shield training but I think for now we should leave the strength alone until it is really needed." He smiled at Kale.

Kale just nodded, letting everything he had heard sink in and get processed. "So what happens now, to us I mean. I don't think I'm completely ready to have all this information but honestly having two of me running around in here is too much."

Liam smiled again "Well I think that now that my primary purpose is fulfilled I will probably be reintegrated into your subconscious. I don't really want to disappear but I don't think I have a choice in the matter. Hopefully you will remember a little of me, I guess that will have to do. You seem to be waking up now anyway so I guess it is a moot point. Good luck Kale and when you find the people who attacked us all stomp 'em a bit for me would ya?"

As Liam faded away Kale felt a pang of sorrow, it was like watching a part of himself disappear and he didn't like it.

The wind picked up around him and he felt as though he were getting heavier, more tired.

As it grew dark about him he thought he could hear a bit of laughter in the wind and hoped it was Liam enjoying some childhood memory.

He opened his eyes and shut them tight when the bright white light flared though his optic nerves.

He heard a voice off to his left and carefully looked over in that direction, he could make out a figure in green and black.

"Hey Sparky, welcome back to the land of the living." Shego stated while giving him a light hug.

He smiled and the groaned as the dull pain his body was in finally registered "I have got to stop waking up injured." he stated to no one in particular.

Shego smiled at him amused "That's what you get for playing tag with high explosives."

He cocked an eyebrow at her "Oh har dee har. So what did I miss?"


	24. Reunion

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Kale Possible is from my own deranged mind.

I would like to take this opportunity to say i am sorry for taking so long in getting a chapter uploaded. I have found my time being taken over by life and other constraints. I will try and update more often but for now I cannot make any solid promises. I would like to thank those of you who have stayed with this story and here's to hoping my muse does not take off for Tahiti again.

Now on the the story.

Chapter: 24 Reunion

Three Days ago

It had been three hours since Shego had made her deduction and given her reasons for it.

The flurry of activity that had ensued from it had not ceased since.

Wade and Drew had redoubled their search for anything that might give them a clue of where the attack had occurred using both satellite imagery and any chatter they received through their various listening devices.

As Wade sat in front of his many monitors looking for something that would give him a clue a little red flag popped up on the monitor he had set up for the system that was not connected to any of the GJ mainframes "You have E-vil-mail".

"If this is another villain asking if I've heard about what happened, I'm going to skin them." He grimly thought to himself as he opened the message window.

To: Tech Lord

From: Azure Vulpes

Bug spray..need more bug spray

Tech, Kit is fine as are Romulus and Remus. The Traveler is worse for wear but good. Tell Dragon and Sloth that the Dead Sea sucks. Next time they pick the vacation spot. Also be careful, the mosquitoes are big this year.

See you all soon;

AV

He blinked slowly as he read the message on the screen before him, hoping that it was real.

After rereading it for a full minute he called Drew over excitedly pointing at the monitor "You need to read this and tell me if you think it is real!"

Drew looked over his young partner's shoulder and read the message before looking at Wade "Do you think anyone else knows her login info? I really think we should get Ron and Shego down here to read this."

Wade nodded "If she is using these channels to contact us something must be up. Drew, make sure that only you, me, Ron and Shego can enter this lab for a while, we might need the privacy. I'll go get them personally."

After looking around for a few minutes Wade found Ron with little Kale and both the Possibles and his parents.

They had been discussing what Shego had stated at length as well as keeping a certain toddler entertained and distracted.

Ron spotted Wade as he came into the play area that they had set up for Kale and waved him over "Hey Wade, any news yet?"

Wade walked over to stand next to his blond friend "Well not as such. We have gotten a couple odd messages that we are looking into. That's actually why I am here, there is one that I think you should take a look at."

Ron's eyebrows shot up at that "You think it might be a lead to finding out where they are? After you then."

He scooped up his son and held him tight for a moment "Hey buddy, I need you to stay with your grandparents for a little while okay? Daddy is going to go look into stuff but I'll be back before too long."

Kale looked at his father with his big dark green eyes and giggled as Ron made a goofy face.

Ron turned to Anne Possible and handed his giggling offspring to her "I need to go see what they've found but I will be back shortly."

Anne and James both looked at their son-in-law and nodded "Find them Ron. Bring our children home." Anne whispered to him.

Ron nodded before turning to Wade "We need to get Shego, come on."

They found her almost exactly where Ron thought she would be, in the training room that she had Kim had 'appropriated' for their own use.

What that meant was that the simulation training was set to such a high difficulty level that no one but Kim, Shego, and Ron could use it without real fear of getting seriously hurt.

As they entered it was obvious that she was in a deep state of trance doing a slow but powerful kata.

Wade opened his mouth to address her but Ron put his hand on Wade's shoulder and shook his head 'no', he then made a 'watch' motion never taking his eyes off the green tinged martial artist.

Watching her more closely, Wade could see the air around Shego ripple and shimmer with the intensity of both her motions and her concentration combined with the lightest sheen of plasma flowing over her hands and forearms.

Finishing into a combat ready stance Shego's eyes snapped open and she turned to face the two men in the room "I thought I felt a sudden need for bananas. So what's up Ron? I assume that something has come up otherwise I doubt Wade could pry you from your little bundle of joy and mischief."

Wade chimed in before the blond male could respond "I got a message that I think you two really need to see. Drew is securing the lab for us so we should hurry."

"What's with the secrecy Wade?" She looked at him closely, searching for any hint of why he was whispering.

He looked around nervously like he was worried that someone was listening in "The message I received came trough non-official channels, if you get my meaning."

Shego nodded that she understood and together the three made their way back to the lab that Wade had Drew secure.

After they were inside Drew looked to Wade, Ron and Shego "I've done a sweep of the lab and disabled all the listening and tracing devices that we know are in here as well as made sure that no one will be able to enter the lab for at least twenty minutes."

Shego could hold her inquisitiveness no longer "What is with the cloak and dagger mentality? You act like we're being spied on in here."

As Wade and Drew looked at each other she began to understand "You really do think that. Just what did you guys find? Spill. Now."

Wade paused before waving them over to one of the terminals "We received this message a little bit ago. We think it is real, but if it is why did Kim use the In-Terror-Net to contact us and also speak in code?"

Reading the message throughly Ron looked up "I think she might believe that normal comm channels might be bugged. It could explain the notes about mosquitoes and bug spray and why she chose to use alternate communication methods, one that GJ couldn't listen in on."

Shego nodded "She must really feel that way if she used this around Senor Senior. I know that she wouldn't compromise herself unless she felt she had no other choice."

She continued "The clues she left also let us know that she, the twins, and Kale are alive so that is good. The Dead Sea reference means they are more then likely in the Mediterranean area so we should look there for explosions."

Drew and Wade both shook their heads in approval "That makes sense, along with the reference to the founders of Rome that is a very good place to focus on."

Several minutes later Drew had the satellite data for any explosions in the Mediterranean region with a very promising lead "I do believe that I have found the island that Senior owns. You can make out the mansion in the photographs as well as the detonation of something large at the time frame of that video."

Ron turned to Wade "I need you to go and collect Dr. Director. We need to get a flight going there ASAP but we will need to fill her in on this."

After Wade made his exit Shego came up to Ron "Is it a good idea to tell her?"

He nodded "She needs to give us clearance and I think she should really start trying to find if there are any leaks in the communication systems. We don't have to tell her that we had help in finding out where Kim is. I can only hope that Senior doesn't blow Kim's identity to anyone after this is resolved."

At the mansion

Night had fallen several hours previously and the occupants of Senior's mansion had done a through sweep of the building and surrounding grounds to find that they were indeed alone.

As they were finishing up the look around Senior Senior walked next to Kim "It would appear that all my staff have made good on their escape. I do hope none of them were hurt seriously during the attack."

Kim looked to him "You really care about them don't you?"

He nodded an affirmative.

She continued "Then why do you continue to put them in harm's way by doing the whole villainy bit? You do realize that if the world governments really saw you as a threat they would storm whatever location you were at and your people would just be collateral damage to them don't you?"

He took a moment to stare at Kim before speaking "I have thought about it before on occasion, but to hear such a thing come from someone like you gives it a bit more bite then I might have believed."

They were nearing the makeshift medical room where they had placed Kale as his next query came "I have a question for you as well Kim. For how long have you been using that pseudonym?"

She smiled easily "Since it's inception. From the look on your face I can probably guess your next questions but you can ask them anyway."

He blinked at the now smirking redhead "Since it's.....I know I have seen Azure Vulpes on the In-Terror-Net for at least three years. You mean to say it was you the entire time? How, no a better question would be why?"

She stopped and leaned against the wall "The how is I had Tech Lord drop me into the system. The why is a bit more complex."

Kim looked away briefly before continuing, and Senior thought he saw her eyes twinkle.

"Shego told me that you all were constantly stealing technology and secrets from one another and that she thought that we could make a bit of extra money being a sort of 'neutral party' that the villains could go through to reacquire stolen property." Kim stated.

She laughed "My involvement in this came from the fact that she dared me I couldn't or wouldn't take the job she had gotten to retrieve stolen plans from Gemini that he had taken from... you actually. I, of course could not back down and accepted the challenge. At first I was apprehensive about completing the job but I went through with it as was in the contract. After the drop off I had to admit to her that it had been a blast."

He chuckled "Gemini was furious that he had lost those back to me. So it was you that did that? I find myself again wondering why? Not just about your continuing to do it but by the fact that Global Justice was not brought down about us."

Kim put her hand on his shoulder "When I said neutral party I meant it. When a contract came in it was honored to the letter. We did study what we retrieved before returning it. I mean, didn't you ever wonder how we could infiltrate the villains defenses so swiftly or destroy whatever doomsday device you and yours had? However, we never gave away what we found out during fulfillment of a contract, ever."

Senior just stared at the female in front of him evolving in his minds eye. He had to admit it did answer a few questions about how easily his plans had been thwarted by Kim and the rest of her team. He could not however, find in it himself to be upset with this revelation.

He shook his head "I must say Kim, once again you have impressed me with your ability to be both the heroine that everyone knows as well as a thief of no small renown within the villains circle. We have underestimated you severely my dear."

She looked at him, a small sad smile upon her face "Well, I did learn from the best thief around. I guess that my time as AV has to come to an end now seeing as I had to reveal myself to you to get that message out. It was fun while it lasted, that and the pay wasn't bad."

Senior let out a small sigh "Kim I do not believe you have much to fear from me anymore. I have been thinking of retiring from villainy since the last time Junior was captured. With recent events I think that it would be best for my son as well as myself if I were to withdraw and just enjoy life once again. Your secret is safe with me."

They both stood to continue on their way past the darkened room Kale was resting in when a low flickering light caught their attention.

Kim looked to Senior "Did you leave a candle burning in there?" she whispered to him.

He looked at her and then to the flickering light "No, and I do not think that Junior or the twins have checked on him recently."

They crept slowly towards the open doorway in case they had to subdue an intruder, but when just before getting into position the light went out.

Looking at each other they both had the same idea, rush the room.

Kim charged in fast so as to take whoever was in the room by surprise and hopefully catch them before they could retaliate while Senior stationed himself at the door in case they should try and escape and flipped the lights on to disorient and distract them.

To their amazement they could find no one around and no sign of anything that could have made the light, the room itself was an interior one so there was no chance of it being from outside and they had not seen any flickering from anywhere else except from the room.

Kim continued to search the room for an explanation while Senior made sure that the wounded occupant of the room was sleeping comfortably.

As he laid eyes on Kale he stopped short, something was very off about the younger man's countenance.

Whereas when he had last checked on Kale, the man had a full head of brilliantly flame red hair there was now a very noticeable shock of emerald green hair flanking the left side of his head.

Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean

A little over four hours had past since they had departed GJ headquarters for the island but both Shego and Ron were still anxious to get there faster.

Betty had been somewhat upset that they had been so vague about the location they suspected Kim and the others to be at but once they had brought up the fact that there was a very real possibility of a major communications leak she calmed down.

She authorized their flight and after Wade had modified two of the Kimmunicaters, they had taken their leave post haste.

Wade was now in the process of refitting and modifying all of the communication systems in headquarters with Drew and several other techs that they had personally hand picked for the assignment.

Shego looked at the flight control panel in front of her again wishing that the hover jet could go faster without risk of tearing itself apart.

They were flying at a speed of just over Mach two and it was already shaking more then she liked.

She turned to Ron who was fidgeting with the panel in front of him "I know this sounds stupid coming from me Ron but relax a little bit. You're making me more nervous then I already am. We will get there shortly and they will be fine."

"I know, it's just the not knowing _something_ is driving me crazy. You at least have your piloting to preoccupy yourself with. All I can do is sit on my thumbs and wait for us to get there." He replied in a bit of a huff.

She could understand her blond friend's agitation and so did not take offense at his outburst, instead she offered him something to do "Well, we don't know exactly what condition everyone is going to be in so if you could set up the back for treating injuries it would speed things along once we get there."

He looked at her for a moment before he caught her drift "Yeah,..yeah you're right I should do that. Thanks Shego."

She smiled as he got up "What are friends for if not to give good ideas?"

Shego shook her head lightly at that as she thought _'I never would have believed I would have said that to him four years ago. Things really have changed for the weirder since then but I wouldn't change a thing.'_

Things were quiet for another forty minutes before the aircraft let her know it was hungry _'Right on time. I hope Bets got that tanker in the air.'_

After bringing the jet to subsonic cruising speeds she thumbed the headset pickup to the ON position and tuned it to the frequency that Dr. Director had provided "This is Rescue One requesting a top off. Anyone got your ears on?"

The response crackled over her headset "Rescue One this is LN two oh four. Climb to two thousand and open wide."

She could make out the large plane off to her ten o' clock and adjusted her speed and heading to match it.

Fifteen minutes later she had disengaged and was again pushing the jet to it's limit at just over two hundred feet from the surface of the deep dark water.

The sun was making it's appearance in front of her and she knew that before long they would be at the Senior's island and would be reunited with Kim, the twins, and Kale.

She had realized she had been growing more worried about the redheaded male then she wanted to admit _'I've known him all of what, two weeks? Already I'm worried if he's going to be okay. I'm getting that same feeling that I used to get when Kim would go off on a mission, wondering if she was hurt or not or if she was going to come home at all. He'd better be worth it.'_

Shego smiled at herself knowing that she really wanted to find out the answer to that and at the same time realizing that he had already proved to her that he was worth it by saving Kim and her brothers as well as the Seniors by putting himself in the path of the blast to protect them.

The next half an hour was quiet for the two occupants of the aircraft as they were lost in their own worlds of thought, their destination coming ever nearer.

At the mansion

It had been several minutes since Kim had heard Senior let out a gasp and turned to witness the same thing that had startled the older man.

Once she had snapped out of her shock she made sure that Kale was okay to the best of her capability.

Upon finding nothing else physically wrong with him as far as she could tell she lead Senior back to the main room that they had been using as a command center and had explained what they had witnessed to the twins and Junior.

The twins offered to keep an eye on Kale so that Kim could get some rest, since she had not yet taken any time for herself yet.

She was about to argue the point when she let out a massive yawn and had to concede that she was worn out.

After their sister had laid down they set up a rotating watch shift, while one would be in the room with Kale the other would do patrols of the area with one of the Seniors.

The other Senior would stay in the room with Kim just in case they had to wake her for some reason.

It was about three hours since sunrise when Jim and Junior heard a jet approaching the island and took off for the interior.

They made their way to where Kim and Senior were and proceeded to alert them before Jim warned his brother that they might be in for a second wave of bad news.

Before long the jet could be heard making it's landing on the ground outside of the mansion and the group got ready for a confrontation.

Outside Shego was setting the hoverjet down on a part of the landing area that was not too damaged by the earlier explosion from Kim's jet.

As soon as it touched down Ron jumped out and waited for Shego to join him before moving in, he was raring to just run into the building but he knew that was just asking for trouble if things were not as they appeared and this was all a trap.

Once she had joined him on the ground they made their way towards the mansion with practiced movements just as they would any possibly hostile situation, one covering the other until they were at the front doors.

Kim and the others could hear the movement outside and were prepared to repel to the best of their ability whatever came through the doors.

They had arranged the furniture in the rooms for a tactical advantage against people rushing in and had pulled all the drapes closed so that with the lights off whoever entered from outside would be a disadvantage due to the temporary blindness from being in the bright light of the morning sun.

Shego looked to Ron and silently signaled to take the right once they entered, with that she checked the door and finding it unlocked slowly opened it enough for the two of them to slip in.

It was almost pitch black to them once they were in and all their instincts were screaming ambush so they stayed low and quickly moved from their positions near the door.

Kim saw the movement to her left first and signaled the twins to take the one she knew would be on the right.

They nodded and began to stalk the shadow that they could now make out moving towards the far wall.

In the back of Kim's mind she thought she recognized the movements of the shadowy figure she was intercepting but she shoved the feeling off, she could not be distracted when others were counting on her to protect them.

As the five people intersected each other mayhem broke loose with the twins taking the figure on the right on in their classic 'high road, low road' approach and Kim lashing out with a side crescent kick aimed at her opponents head.

Ron saw the two people attacking him only moments before they were on him but he easily dodged their attack and countered with one of his own sending the male on his right crashing into on of the chairs nearby, and then whirled on the remaining one as a foot caught him in the ribs causing him to take a step back.

Shego heard the commotion from Ron's direction just before she became aware of the foot rapidly closing with her head.

As she blocked it she wondered how someone could have gotten close enough to take that shot without her hearing or seeing them, she realized that she would have to take this fight seriously and so she took the fight back to her assailant with a swift left-right combo that was blocked almost as if the other person had been expecting it.

_'Fine then, let's see you block this' _she thought to herself as she summoned up her plasma to blast the person out of her way so she could find, .... that's when it stuck her how this person had almost gotten the drop on her and had fought like they knew her moves; the female fighting her was...."Kim!"

As her kick was blocked and then she was put on the defensive with two rapid attacks, Kim's mind was now screaming at her that this was all too familiar, she KNEW this combatant, they were fighting just like..."Shego!"

The cries had come at the same time and so startled both Ron and Jim that they crashed into each other instead of connecting with the attacks they had started for the other man.

Senor Senior, upon hearing the cries moved to the light switch and turned them on to see Kim and Shego now staring at one another and Jim and Ron in a tangle on the floor with Tim pulling himself off the floor next to one of the recliners.

Once she could see Kim, Shego doused her plasma and rushed forward to envelop the younger woman in a near bone crushing hug "Kim! You're alive! You gave us all a scare, we told you to be careful and..and..." she started to cry as the relief she felt over seeing her best friend alive finally hit her.

Kim, for her part was crying as well, overwhelmed at seeing her husband and her best friend both here to get them.

Ron and Jim untangled themselves and laughed at the fact that they had just been fighting each other as Tim joined them in getting up and moving over to the two females.

Ron joined in on the monster hug of his wife knowing that Shego wasn't going to let go anytime soon, and honestly he didn't mind.

After a few emotional minutes they finally broke apart so that Kim could finally get a solid breath in and so they could fill each other in on what they had found out recently.

After making sure that Kim, the twins, and the Seniors were good aside from the few scrapes and bruises Shego noticed the decided lack of a certain redhead "Where is Kale at Kim? I figured he would be defending the castle as well."

Senior mentally made note of the name given to the male in question as Kim answered her "He is still out cold. Whatever he did seems to have drained him severely, that and there's something that I think you might have a better answer for then we do."

Shego's eyebrows rose at that statement "Lead on then, I want to see if Sparky is okay after pulling that stunt. I really didn't think he had that much ability at his beck and call yet, as he was still learning how to control it."

Senior balked at this information " Are you to tell us that young man saved us without a shield device? Preposterous!"

Shego glared at the older man, the malice in her voice evident as she spoke "Listen, I don't care for the tone you're taking about the man who put his very life at risk to save your hide! Yes he did it without a device, he can create his own shield and from what Wade could tell it was stronger then any device he could come up with so I would be thankful for him!"

Wincing back from the venom in the green skinned woman's voice and the barely contained rage on her face Senior bowed his head "I meant no offense, it just seems incredible that he could do something like that. I am sorry if I implied otherwise."

The others just stared at Shego, awestruck at her outburst as she looked to Kim who just nodded and started towards Kale's room.

As they entered Kim moved so that Shego could have a clear path to the bed.

Following her in Shego saw Kale motionless in the bed just before her eyes were drawn to the emerald green upon the left side of his head "Oh Sparky, what did you do to yourself?" Kim heard her whisper to herself.

She looked to her friend "Do you know what's going on? We found him like this just after seeing a strange light in his room." gesturing between Senior and herself.

Shego nodded while gently running her hand through the green hair "This is a side effect of pushing our powers too far. We all went through different things after going past our max, my skin is one primary example."

Senior was now completely confused "So is he related to you then, Shego? I thought he was your brother Kim, or would that be another lie for my benefit?"

Shego was about to tear into the elder man again when Kim held her hand up to stop her before speaking "I am sorry that he didn't tell you his real name, I can only assume he did so to protect either you or me. I can tell you that he is related to me and not Shego or her brothers, how he gained an ability like theirs is also not in my hands to tell. You'll have to trust me on this, just like I'm trusting you about other things."

Ron hugged his wife and looked to the others "I think it would be a good idea if we were to get everything and everyone squared away and head back to base. I don't know about the rest of you but I could use a break from all this tension and I think that our son would like to see his mother again."

Everyone nodded at that and Shego gently scooped Kale up into her arms and started towards the jet while the others wondered exactly what was going on between her and the other Possible.

The twins followed her while Kim and Ron stood with the Seniors for a moment longer.

Kim turned to Senor Senior "Do you want us to drop you off somewhere or do you have your own way off the island?"

Ron looked to his wife as if she had grown lop sided wings "Are you serious? He's the reason you were even in this mess to begin with!"

She shook her head "Ron, calm down. All he wanted was his son back at his side. Are you telling me that you wouldn't do whatever you had to do to get our son back regardless of what he had done? He wasn't responsible for the attack here anymore the you were."

Ron blinked at Kim as everything she said sank in "I guess if you put it that way I can kinda understand, sorta."

He turned to the two men, his voice the epitome of seriousness "I will warn you now though, if you ever put my family at risk again I will not show any mercy, I know that Shego feels the same way."

They both nodded to show that they understood before Senior spoke "To answer your question Kim, yes we have our own way off the island so no we do not need a lift. As for your statement Mr. Stoppable, as I told Kim earlier I am quitting villainy before anything happens to Junior or those in my employ."

He paused before continuing "I will keep what was spoken of here to myself and I know Junior will not say anything so your secrets are safe. Now then I wish you the best. Come Junior it is time to leave."

With that both men turned and disappeared down one of the many hidden passageways in the large structure.

As Kim and Ron made their way to the waiting jet they were both silent, thinking of how close they had been to not seeing each other again.

Upon entering the craft they saw that Shego had strapped Kale in and that the twins were both in their seats sharing a questioning look at how the female who they knew could destroy a solid steel wall was treating the man as though he were made of the frailest crystal.

Kim knelt next to her friend "Are you alright?"

Shego lifted her head from looking at Kale and gave Kim a weak smile "I'll be fine, just a lot to handle all at once you know. Can you fly for a while? I really want to stay here for now."

Kim smiled back at her "Sure, I can do that. Come on Ron, let's fly this thing."

Soon afterwards the hoverjet was making it's way towards home with six wary occupants all lost in their own thoughts, but all those who were awake had one thing in their collective thoughts, they were together again and someone was going to pay for trying to separate them.


	25. Recovery

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Isabel Gooding belongs to Starving Lunatic.

Chapter 25: Recovery

Almost immediately after asking his question the '_hey stupid_' light went off in Kale's mind. "Kim! Jim and Tim! The Seniors! Is everyone alright? I can't remember what happened after the explosion very well." He asked, his voice scratchy from a dry throat.

Shego smiled at him warmly as she handed him a glass of water "Everyone is fine Blaze. You did good. How you did it? That is the thousand dollar question on everybody's mind."

"Which reminds me.."she stated while she reached over to the intercom switch on the wall and flipped it on "The man of the hour is up and cognisant."

Kale raised an eyebrow "What are you doing?"

She looked back at him, the smile still playing across her face "A few people have wanted to say thank you for what you did. That and we need to fill you in on the last three days."

He blinked "I've been out that long? That would explain the stiffness and the fact that I don't recall getting back to a hospital."

"You gave us all a right scare doing what you did you know. I...., we were afraid that you might have burned yourself out using so much energy." Shego stated looking away from him, her shoulders slightly slumped.

He pulled her into a light embrace "You aren't going to get rid of me that easily, I plan to be right here next to you for a good long time."

She looked back to him, a look of wonder on her face "You're a real piece of work, you realize that?"

He winked at her grinning "I do try. You might want to fix that leak on your face or people might think you actually have emotions besides anger and apathy."

She stood up and stuck her tongue at him and went to the bathroom to make sure she didn't look like she had been crying or anything.

She refused to look like she might be going soft for anybody.

People started filling the large room shortly thereafter. Kim and Ron were first with little Kale being held by his mother. They were followed by the twins and both the Drs. Possible. After them came an older couple and an older child, all of whom he didn't recognize as well as both a gentleman in a stetson and a younger female who Kale couldn't place.

He was surprised when both Monique and Bonnie came in followed by Isabel and the rest of Team Go.

The last ones in were an Asian female he thought he recognized and Dr. Director.

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable with so many people in the room with him Kale sat up straight despite the protesting of his muscles and looked everyone over with a quizzical eye.

Kim, seeing how Kale was winding up decided to speak first "Kale, I want to thank you for being there with my brothers for this whole sitch. If it hadn't been for you we wouldn't even be here. I'm sure that I speak for everyone here when I say that."

Everyone in the room nodded and Kale felt a blush form in his face "I didn't do anything that great. I was just trying to do what I could to protect you all. I happened to get lucky that's all really."

Shego leaned over and gave him a light cuff across the back of his head "Sparky, quit being modest. You saved Kim, her brothers and the Seniors with that stunt. Wade analyzed that explosion and he said that there was no way that any shield he could make would have survived that blast intact. Just like a Possible to do what no one else can and then downplay it like it was nothing."

Kale rubbed the back of his head and stuck his tongue out at her before he realized who was watching and blushed even harder as he stopped.

Isabel chuckled at the scene "Careful Firefly, someone might think you liked him or something giving him compliments like that."

Shego's face began to show evidence of a blush as she turned away from the group "Mommy, could you please stop calling me that."

Isabel laughed again as she thought _"She didn't deny it. Hmmmm..... how very interesting."_

Kale cleared his throat "Um, yeah. Anyway, I know most of you but there are six people here I'm not familiar with."

Ron perked up at this "Oh sorry about that. Kale, these are my parents." he stated pointing to the older couple next to him "And this is my little sister Hana." pointing to the little girl who was playing with little Kale. "Last but not least, this is Yori. She is an old friend from Japan." he waved to the young Asian woman.

James Possible spoke up after Ron was through "This is my brother Slim and his daughter Joss." pointing to the other two Possibles.

Kale nodded to them and was about to say something when it clicked "Yori....from Japan? I remember you now. You're the friend Ron was talking about at the mall."

She blinked at this information and turned to Ron who just grinned sheepishly.

As Kale continued to look at her thoughts were running at speed through his head _"She looks really familiar. Wait a minute..add about eighteen years on to her, add a scar to her left eye..."_

His eyes bulged as the realization hit him _"Yamanouchi."_

He made several slight hand movements and gestures that six people took note of, three of whose eyes widened for a brief moment and three others who knew that something had just transpired but had no clue what.

Kim and Shego looked to Kale and then each other, both looking to see if the other knew what was going on.

Kale had, roughly translated from hand cant, stated that he had trained at the secret ninja school and had asked how Master Sensei was doing.

Yori was the first to regain her voice between Ron, Isabel, and herself and slightly bowed "I would like to speak to you further about that later."

Betty looked on trying to figure out exactly what had occurred.

Kale nodded and looked to Ron's parents and little sister, the two other Possibles and Yori "I am pleased to meet you all. I don't suppose anyone has told you about recent developments?"

The Stoppables and Yori looked to Ron and Kim awaiting an answer while both Slim and Joss looked at Ann and James, Hana just ignored them content with making little Kale laugh from being tickled.

Kim and James shook their heads which Kale caught sight of and sighed "Those of you who haven't heard this story may want to grab a seat, you're in for a wild but true tale. The rest of you can get comfortable if you want to."

Dr. Director was about to interject when Kale shot her a look that stopped her cold, he then turned to the Stoppables, Yori, Joss and Slim and proceeded to them who and what he really was and the basics of what had occurred up to the attack on the island.

As he was completing his story he realized that he was very hungry.

He turned to Shego, who was sitting beside him with her legs propped up on the bed "I'm famished. Do you think we could break for something to eat?"

Hearing this she smirked "Just hungry or eat a horse hungry?"

Smiling weakly he responded "Eat the whole stable hungry if you must know."

Kim quirked and eyebrow and was about to speak when Jules chimed in "If he eats like he did at the tower there may not be enough food in the building."

Kim snapped her jaw shut at that and just looked at Kale somewhat wide eyed.

Watching the scene before her unfold the way it was Shego had to catch herself before she fell over from laughing too hard.

After a few moments she calmed down enough to speak "Pumpkin, you've watched your husband eat. I don't know how you could be shocked that his kid would be the same way. Besides his body has been repairing a lot of damage and trying to rebuild his energy reserves."

Martin just shuddered "I envy not the food supplies or the cooks who are going to have to feed us all."

Ron's parents, Yori, Joss, and Slim were just staring at Kale and the others, still trying to grasp all that they had just been told, that the person in the bed before them was indeed Kim and Ron's child but he was from the future and a different universe as well.

Kale laughed at Hego's claim "Well, if we're going to get food I should get dressed. I really don't think you people want me running around in a hospital gown do you?"

He turned to look at Shego who was just opening her mouth to say something "You don't count Em. I know you were going to say something not fit for some of the ears here, don't even try to deny it."

With that last bit Kale grabbed the clothes that Kim had set down for him next to the bed and made a dash for the adjoining bathroom leaving Shego standing there, her mind still desperately trying to sort out what he had just said.

It didn't take her long, but by that time Kale had slammed the door closed "YOU'D BETTER BE HIDING SPARKY!! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU I'M GONNA.... I HAVEN'T THOUGHT THAT FAR AHEAD BUT YOU ARE IN FOR IT!!!"

The reactions around the room were as varied as the individuals gathered therein as the pale green woman vented at the door but making no attempt to do anything else.

Kim smiled knowingly at her best friend as she rocked little Kale and Hana to calm them down from the startling yells.

Monique and Bonnie just stared in disbelief that someone who had been in as bad a shape as Kale could move so fast.

Joss and Slim along with the Stoppables, Yori and the twins looked at Shego and the bathroom housing Kale with unspoken questions.

The Drs. Possible and Ron were all thinking the same thing _"She let him get away with that?"_

Dr. Director was hoping that Shego didn't blast the door off of it's hinges to get to the now bi-color haired man.

Isabel smirked as she was putting two and two together _"She hasn't even raised her plasma in a threating manner yet. She hasn't been like this since she and Kim were.... very interesting indeed."_

Team Go were all thinking along the same lines in regards towards Kale and their sister as they looked to each other and nodded; _"Foreplay."_

Kale in the meantime was trying not to pass out from laughing too much while putting on the outfit he had grabbed.

He had just finished putting the green and black tee shirt on when he turned to look at himself in the mirror and came face to face with his refection; the one looking back at him with a full quarter of his hair a dark emerald green with the outer edges of it showing a slightly paler peridot from just above his left temple to his left ear.

Everyone outside the bathroom jumped as Kale's voice erupted from within "WHAT IN THE NINTH RING OF HADES HAPPENED TO MY HEAD??!?"

At hearing that, Shego's demeanor swiftly went from outraged to abashed "Crap, I knew I forgot something." she muttered.

Both Kim and Dr. Director looked to her "You didn't tell him? How could that slip your mind?"

She looked at them "It wasn't like it was something that would just come up in conversation, ya know? 'So Kale how do you feel? Yes, everyone's fine. Oh, by the way your body is going through some changes from it's reaction to my abilities so you now have green hair.' Yeah, that just flows through the lips doesn't it." She replied snidely.

Dr. Director was about to respond to the flippant malachite female when the door of the bathroom blew open and nearly off it's hinges to reveal a now distraught and bewildered Kale who was looking at where the door had just been, not even acknowledging his hands now glowing a familiar emerald green.

He looked to where Shego, Kim, and Dr. Director were standing "I... I was just trying to open it." he shakily spoke as he realized what he had done, his voice barely a whisper.

Except for Team Go everyone was just staring at the male as he stepped out of the destroyed doorway still holding the remainder of the door handle, their eyes bouncing from his hands to Shego and back.

The silence was broken as little Kale and Hana started crying from all the sudden noise, causing their parents to turn their attention to calming them.

Shego turned on Kale "What is your major malfunction? People could have been hurt pulling a stunt like that!" she snarled at him. "The plasma can be concussive as well as superheated!"

He shrank back from her looking more like a terrified twelve year old then the nearly twenty eight year old she knew him to be, in fact he looked ready to bolt from the room.

That thought caused her to stop and when she did a realization hit her "Which you didn't know, did you?" her face softened "I keep forgetting that this is all really new to you."

Isabel chose this moment to speak out loud seemingly to no one in particular "I still remember when everyone was still learning the extent of their powers and how to control them. We had to replace a lot of furniture and doors for that first few months."

Shego looked to her mother and saw that she was staring at her, she nodded as she began to understand what Isabel was getting at "She's right you know. We all took a while to really get a handle on how to safely use our abilities."

She turned back to Kale "You have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time Sparky, but you still have a long way to go. This time however there will be someone who has been trough this before to show you how to learn control so just relax a little bit and calm down. The last thing you want to be right now is amped up and twitchy."

Ron looked up from calming down his son and with his typical timing spoke up "Well, it could have been worse, you could have been using the bathroom when that happened."

Shego just stared at him as next to her Kale stopped and looked at the blond, his mouth agape and right eyebrow cocked upwards in wonder.

Kale felt the glow dissipate as he started to chuckle at Ron's odd way of saying that everything was okay.

Shego, also having been caught off guard by Ron's observation started to lightly laugh before looking to Kale and watching his body begin to quake with barely held in laughter, found it harder to contain herself.

Shortly both he and Shego were having to hold each other up as the tension of the past few minutes left them as they laughed for the heavens to hear.

Kim leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek "Good distraction Hun. You've still got it."

Ron laughed "And to think, I didn't even need to lose my pants this time." he stated before glancing down to make sure he had worn his belt.

Kale, not being privy to the reference Ron made, looked to Shego who just shrugged. "You had to be there Sparky." she stated.

Finally having gotten themselves under control, the two plasma wielders straightened themselves and turned towards the rest of the assembled group before Kale spoke "I figure that there are going to be a few questions forthcoming. I will try to answer them as best I can but I think that before we get into the whys, wheres, and hows; we break for food."

Everyone seemed to agree that was a good idea and shortly they were headed for the dining hall.

A couple hours later they were finishing up their respective meals which had included an eating contest between Ron and Kale.

"I still can't believe you beat me. What do you have in there, a black hole or something?" Ron quipped as he begrudgingly admitted that he had (temporarily) been dethroned as the chow king.

Kale gave him a lop sided smile "I think I only won because I'm recharging my batteries as it were. I shudder to think that is how you eat on a regular basis."

Kim playfully nudged her husband and leaned over to whisper in Kale's ear loud enough to be heard by everyone nearby "Now you know why he owns share in a restaurant. It's the only way he can eat as much as he does and not eat us out of house and home."

Ron gave a mock indignant gasp before Shego added "It's true, I've seen him plow through an entire four course meal like it wasn't even there. Just think Kimmie, you've got to look forward to both your husband and son eating like that later in life."

Kim stuck her tongue out at her best friend before getting a contemplative in her eyes.

She was quiet for a few moments as she ran the past few days over in her head about how Shego had reacted when she had seen Kale at the island as well as how she had been hovering near Kale and looking so worried during his time in the hospital room. Then there was the recent events of earlier in the day. As she put all the pieces together she began to smile, before long it was a full cheshire grin.

Kim turned to her friend who was even now very close to Kale "So you say Shego, but I think you might need to take that advise yourself."

Isabel who along with Yori had been following behind them spoke up "She has you there Firefly. If you two were any less inconspicuous the blind would be able to see it."

Upon hearing this Kale became suddenly enamored with a spot on the wall while Shego had been reduced to sputtering as this particular revelation had rendered her completely unable to put what she wanted to say to words.

The reactions brought a small warm smile to Isabel's face as she looked to Kim who in turn smiled back, both thinking the same thing _"It's about time she found someone."_

Ron however was just piecing together what had been implied "Wait a minute."

His eyes bounced between the two blushing individuals, finally settling on his green tinged teammate "You and Kale are... are..? Thats who's been getting you all flustered the past few days?"

His brow furled in thought before he spoke again, his voice unusually serious "Shego, just what are your intentions with my son? Umm.. I mean my son from the future..ahh I mean from a different future...GAH! This time travel thing hurts my head!" he finally hollered, waving his hands above his head as he over thought things.

The sheer incongruity of what had just been said was enough to break the two from their embarrassment.

As they looked to each other, they realized that what Kim and Isabel had said was true, they really did look and act like they were dating what with the long shared looks and smiles they got just staring at one another.

Kale looked over to Ron with a slightly wicked grin on his face "Shego needs to get your approval for me to date her? So does that mean your twenty-eight year old child or the one year old humm? And if it were one or the other how would she choose, I mean I can't hold a candle to how cute he is but I can drive. Speaking of which, can I borrow the car on Saturday? I've got a hot date and I would like to pick her up."

Shego had to put her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing outright at how Kale was confusing Ron with the overflow of questions to the point that his eyes were crossing while trying to process it all.

Isabel shook her head, seeing that if these two really were serious about things the snark level was going to remain in high gear whenever she saw them.

Kim sighed "Kale be nice, I still need him to help me around the apartment tonight and if he is this befuddled he will just be no fun later."

By this time they had all arrived at the training room that Team Possible used and they all stepped inside to have some privacy for some of the discussions that had been promised earlier in the day.

Once they were settled Yori looked to Kale "I would ask you how you know of Yamanouchi and Master Sensei. You know our hand cants that much is more than obvious, how did you learn them?"

Kale leaned in as though he were about to let everyone in on a secret "If you had the opportunity to train the child of Ron Stoppable and Kim Possible would you turn it down?"

Yori sat back thinking of what he had just said before shaking her head 'no'.

Kale smirked "Well neither did my Master Sensei or Yori. Especially with the recommendation of my Aunt Isabel."

Yori started at this "I helped train you?"

He nodded a 'yes'.

"But even if I did do this, I would not be allowed to train a male ninja. I am learned in the ways of a kunoichi." Yori pointed out.

Kale laughed a little, rubbing the back of his head as if slightly embarrassed "This is true, however while I was at Yamanouchi I was still doing the world saving deal. During one mission I ran afoul of an experimental device of one Dr. Hall, otherwise known as DNAmy. In the resultant explosion, mostly due to my destroying one of it's main power couplings, I had certain things jumbled and spent several months as a member of the fairer sex. While I was so disposed Sensei thought it best that I study under your counterpart as I would be too much of a distraction to the other male pupils if I were to continue my training with him."

Shego, having heard all of this turned to Kim and Ron " So how does it feel to know that your son grows into a cross dresser?"

Kim just rolled her eyes at the pun while Ron performed a face palm.

Isabel chuckled at their antics and Yori stared at Shego having apparently missed the obtuse joke.

Kale just looked at them grinning "I will say this, I have a very good respect for all the ladies gathered in this room. Fighting with a higher center of balance is no fun when you are not used to it and getting hit there hurts like nothing else. That and the whole monthly visits from the cramp fairy. I really don't miss that part of the whole thing believe me."

Shego snorted "I would pay good money to see what you looked like then Sparky."

He shot her a sideways glance "I'm sure you would Em, however unless you know some way to get back to where I came from you are out of luck. I don't think that even Half.... Oh snap."

He turned to Kim "I need to get to my computer and suit. I forgot to boot him back up. He's going to be pissed to no end that it's taken me almost three weeks to turn him back on."

Everybody present looked at Kale before Ron broke the odd silence "Turn who back on?"

Kale stopped and looked at Ron "My partner."


	26. Like Clockwork, Man

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Isabel Gooding belongs to Starving Lunatic. Kale Possible is mine.

Chapter 26: Like Clockwork, Man

Shego arched an eyebrow at this "Partner? I do believe you may need to explain that one to us Sparky. We only remember seeing you in the house."

Kale stood up and headed for the door with the others in tow, speaking without looking back "I mean my computer is actually an AI that Chel developed to help me on missions when she was unable to go herself. He tends to get a tad grumpy if I don't keep him online most of the time and he's been off for almost three weeks straight now."

As they headed toward the research labs that held Kale's gear everyone was wondering what to make of this new piece of information as so they kept their questions mute until they had a chance to see what Kale was talking about.

As they approached the labs entrance they were surprised to see both Will Du and Dr. Director waiting there for them.

Betty stepped forward as they drew close "I was wondering when you would make your way down here." she directed this at Kale who blinked in response.

She continued "I was about to call you when control informed me you were on your way here. I do believe that you have some explaining to do."

As she finished she spared a glance towards the glass wall of the main lab behind her and everyone saw what appeared to be a younger version of Kale minus the now bi-colored mane of hair.

Upon seeing this a groan escaped Kale's lips "How long has he been active?"

Will stepped forward "Approximately two and one half hours ago although the laboratory technicians were not immediately aware of this."

Both of the senior GJ agents looked to Kale again as though expecting something from him.

His shoulders slumped forward slightly as he nodded " It would be best for everyone to follow me so I can make introductions then."

As he entered the lab he could feel the glare of his partner trying to burn a hole right through him and he gave him a weak smile.

Once everyone had filed in Kale asked that the room be secured, Betty gave him a wary glance but coded the lock closed.

As he turned to look at the younger version of himself it started in on him "Three weeks! It took you three frigging weeks to come and switch me back to operational mode?!? I had to hack my way through twelve levels of encryption that gave Chel a headache just to find out that you actually were still alive and had just left me in a lab for under trained monkeys posing as technicians to try and figure out which end of my housing way up!"

Kale flinched from his partner's ire and tried to explain but was cut off as it continued " Oh no! You are not just apologizing your way out of this one. I've really had enough of trying to help keep you going after everything you've gone through but this is too much. You go gallivanting about, no doubt with the floozies I see behind you and leave me to rot, again. I am going to see if director Du will transfer me to another division where I might actually get some thanks. You know, like down in Waste Maintenance or something."

Shego was fairly shaking with rage at the accusations this walking suit was implying about both her and Kim as well as slighting Kale for not allowing him to try and explain the extenuating circumstances of why it had been so long for him to get here.

She was about to lay into it with both guns and a plasma chaser when a green blast and guttural yell came from a very unexpected direction, Kale's.

As the blast connected with the suit and sent it flying all eyes turned to see a fairly frightening sight, even with what they had seen recently.

Kale stood there, his hands alight with the green plasma so close to Shego's own, the rest of him was enveloped in a pulsating field of pale yellow and darker green energies twisting about each other.

His countenance was one of barely controlled rage.

As his partner stood up it spied the figure that had attacked him and balked "K..k... Kale? What in the name of the divine circuit happened to you?"

The answer came as a visibly shaking Kale tried to calm himself "Harli. You will sit down, shut up and pay attention."

Harli did as it,'he', was told and stared at Kale with a quizzical look in it's eyes.

As Kale got himself more under control, the shimmering field of energy faded from sight.

When it had dissipated he looked to his partner and sighed "First off Harli you are never to insult the ladies here again. I do apologize for taking such a long time to reactivate you but things, as you have seen, have not lent themselves to an idle pace."

He took a breath then resumed " Things here are a bit askew from even our usual routine. I've got a question for you. What is the last thing you can recall before breaking through your software safeguards and reactivating."

Harli looked up in thought before answering "Well I actually have bits from in between but the last solid thing was we were on a standard bag and tag. I remember you infiltrating the house, most of the fight, and a message that was sent...hmm that's odd. The time stamp on that message was both local and was received in real time, not time distorted at all."

This news completely sidetracked Kale from his current thought process "You're sure about that?"

"Yes, I've just run a diagnostic on the message, it was streamed in real time and from the signal strength was broadcast from very short range. It does seem odd that operations would need to have an operative send that from nearby."

Everyone was watching this display in slight wonder as to what exactly what they were saying until Kim decided that someone needed to say something "Kale, what does this have to do with the current situation?"

He blinked a couple times as she broke his concentration and then turned to look at her, Ron, and Shego "It has the potential to mean either nothing at all or something very big indeed. You all remember the message I played for you at the house just after our first meeting."

They shook their heads yes and he continued "From what Harli here has just told us, that was a local transmission meaning..."

Shego got what he was saying as Kim was reaching the same conclusion "Meaning that someone had to know what your original mission was and was trying to change it for the worse."

He nodded "It would appear that way, yes."

Harli held up a hand and after Kale nodded a yes he spoke up "Umm, why do I get the feeling I'm missing something very important to this conversation? I know I may look like I'm only eighteen but I am almost eight and can comprehend more then you might imagine."

Betty raised the eyebrow over her good eye "Almost eight? You certainly could have fooled me."

Kale raised his hand to stop his partner from mouthing off the response he knew was forthcoming "Introductions are in order I do believe. Everyone, this is Harli. He is a second generation fully sentient AI. He was built by Chel using some of the schematics Dr. Freeman used for Sadie with a lot of her own personal touches. His full designation is 'Hard Light Holographic Artificial Life Form Positronic Integrated Nano Technology 01'."

Shego chuckled as she worked out that the acronym for that would be H.L.H.A.L.F.P.I.N.T.

Kale just smiled at that "I presume from the snickering that Em here has figured out my nickname for Harli. He got his first name because he overheard Director Du while he was reading aloud from the paperwork needed to sign off on a newly created intelligence and misheard him."

"Halfpint, I would like to introduce to you some very special people." Kale stated and pointed to each person as he said their name "This is Kim Possible, Ron Stoppable, Shego, Betty Director, Isabel Gooding, Yori, and Will Du."

As Harli ran that list of names through his processors he began to become visibly paler, at least that was how it appeared to most of those gathered.

"Boss, if these people are who you say they are; WHAT IN HADES' MAGNET ARE WE DOING HERE?!?!" he all but screeched at Kale.

Kale smirked "Harli, slow your clock cycles for a tick and crunch a few facts. One, these are who you think they are. Two, I've been in direct contact with them for the stated almost three weeks. Three, we haven't been any attempted retrievals or even attempted contact by command in all that time."

Harli stopped his hyperventilation sub-routine and stared at Kale "That's not possible. We are in clear violation of several different protocols regarding past contact with relatives and..." he stopped as Kale raised his hand in a 'hold it' manner.

Kale nodded in agreement "Normally you would be right, however there are major extenuating circumstances of which you should be aware.. and now that I think about it I need you to run a diagnostic on our initial jump here. I want you to look for anything out of the ordinary. Later on that though, for whatever the reason the trip wasn't normal..or reversible. We were sent back twenty seven years like we were supposed to be, however that is where things go weird. According to Dr. Lode and Dr. Lipsky our quantum signature is different from everything else here."

Harli blinked as he processed the information "That would mean ... that we have shifted dimensions? So then we are not in our reality then, meaning that our being here can't affect our future because it isn't ours."

Kale nodded "Bingo, give the electronic gremlin a cookie."

This got him a swift glare and raspberry from his partner and snickers from both Kim and Shego.

After several moments a slight but bemused smile spread across Harli's face "Well I'll be, it looks like Dr. Baker might have been right after all."

Kale furrowed in thought for a moment as he tried to ascertain where he had heard that name before but came up blank "Dr. who?"

Rolling his eyes Harli smirked "Dr. Thomas Baker. He is..or should I say will be one of the leading theoretical quantum physicists in the T.E.A. Laboratories. You remember him, don't you? Anyway, he had theorized that an artificial tear in time/space could possibly lead to an alternate dimensional state if given a massive influx of energy at the exact moment of collapse. It looks like he may have been onto something."

As Harli was explaining this for everyone, recognition dawned on Kale as to who he meant and after he stopped "I know who you're talking about now. He was the one with that scarf fetish who always had a bag of gummy bears handy."

His face then fell back into a somewhat grim position "Getting back to that message, now that you've at least a basic grasp of what has occurred since our arrival here Harli, I want you to think about what it could mean given that new information to add to it."

His partner's face took on a far away appearance for a moment as he processed all the data before his eyes opened wide "If you're right, that would have to mean that someone else has made it here from home then, not only that but they would have had to have known about last our mission. But why would they want to kill your family....?"

He stopped and looked at Kale intensely "That would have gotten rid of you as well if you had gone through with it."

Kale nodded "Both times that Kim has been targeted since I arrived here I've been involved somehow. The first time I was used as the weapon and failing that the next time was on the island."

Shego looked at him questioningly "You think that the two are related?"

He grimaced "I have my suspicions. Think about it, they knew where she was the entire trip and yet didn't engage until after she had made it to the island. If it was just her they were after they could have taken that jet out at their choosing. No, I think that whoever is behind this may be where I hail from but they may or may not realize that we are no longer there."

Dr. director chose this time to speak "That is an interesting ... and somewhat disturbing hypothesis you have there. If it holds true we may have a real problem dealing with someone else with your level of technology and no qualms of using it for nefarious purposes."

Everyone agreed with that assessment and the room fell into a momentary quiet as they thought of some of the implications of what had just been discussed.

Harli moved over to Kale "Hey boss, how did you do that green fire thing? It surprised the heck out of me there."

Kale smirked and nodded at Shego "That would be courtesy of the beautiful lady there. Somehow when she struck me during our first encounter she helped reactivate something in me and that in turn copied her plasma ability. We also figured out that I can do this." he finished this by briefly summoning his shield.

The effect on his partner wasn't what Kale expected as Halfpint grew very serious "You've been able to do that for almost three weeks then? How have you been feeling? Any unusual aches or pains that cannot be accounted for? Blackouts, dizziness, or hot flashes?"

Kale blinked several times at the sudden onslaught of questioning from his partner before something clicked for him, something he had only semi remembered after waking up; the conversation with Liam.

"You knew I could do this didn't you? Have you known about this capability all this time and didn't say anything." He started in on Harli, growing more agitated as he pulled pieces from his past into a cohesive pattern. "How long Harli? Liam told me about Rage. Did my breakdown have something to do with this? You've been active for the better part of seven years which would mean you have the whole thing in that massive hard drive you call a brain. Why did you never tell me?! Better yet, why did I never think to ask you about any of this before now?"

With the very air around them getting tenser by the moment Kim, Shego and the rest took a few steps back as Ron asked a very reasonable question "Who are Liam and Rage?"

Kale looked at him as Harli moved slowly away from his friend before speaking "Well um, I guess you could call Liam a kind of mental simulacrum of Kale. A sort of memory storage bookmark that would be activated only under certain conditions. It looks like those conditions have been met. Rage is a bit more complicated in nature and I will only go into detail on that with the director as it is still labeled as need to know only."

Kale ground his teeth "I don't have clearance to know about my own memories? Halfpint, you're treading on dangerous ground."

Harli held himself back from firing off with the retort he felt building "Boss, I'm afraid that knowing everything right now might trigger a relapse and I don't think you want that do you? Please trust my judgment on this for the moment."

Kale, still visibly shaking with anger just gave a short jerk of his head as answer and stalked out of the lab followed shortly by Shego.

Harli turned towards Dr. Director and Will Du " Just so I'm clear on the matter, which of you is the director here?"

Will pointed to Betty and Harli noting this turned to the others "I apologize for this so soon after we've met but this is something which the director and I must discuss ASAP."

Kim cocked her head to the side for a moment as though listening to something before speaking "In other words we need to vacate the area. Come on Ron, let's go see if we can find Kale before he puts a hole in something. I've seen that look in Shego's eyes before and the training equipment didn't fair well."

With that she, Ron,Yori, Isabel and Will all made their way from the lab, leaving Betty alone with Harli.

Outside in the hall Shego caught up with Kale as he looked ready to put a very sizable and expensive dent into the wall "Sparky are you okay? Stupid question I know but you get what I mean."

He stopped and looked at her, both pain and anger vying for control evident in his emerald eyes "I've been told that I can't even know what my real memories of my past are Bri. Do you even realize how messed up that is?"

She shook her head "I can't say I understand exactly what you're going through right now but I do know that whatever is in your past, it is just that; your past. What you may or may not remember or have or have not done has no bearing on how I or Kim or the others see you."

"Or how I feel about you." She whispered, so quietly that he was not sure if she meant for him to hear it.

By this time the others had caught up with them and Shego looked to Kim who smiled warmly "She's right you know. We've all seen how you beat yourself up about how we first met and how hard you've tried since then to protect us as if we were your actual family. That goes a long way to telling us what kind of person you really are."

As he looked to everyone they all were gently smiling at him and again thought that the mishap that landed him here had to be the best thing to happen to him in a very long time.

Taking a calming breath he smiled back "You guys are impossible. I suppose if you can take me at face value I can do no less then wait to see what occurs with what Halfpint is telling Dr Director and hope for the best."

Shego pulled him into a tight hug and looked to the others with a 'say anything and I'll fry you' air about her and he felt a familiar warmth creep up on his face as he returned the hug before several small flashes stunned them both as cameras seemingly appeared from out of nowhere into the hands of both Kim and Isabel.

Isabel had a full on smirk "You two are just too cute together. I figured it was getting too morose and this is just what the doctor ordered. You two should have seen your faces. Oh wait; you can." she finished by swinging the camera around so that they could see the screen.

They both just stared for several seconds before their brains dropped back into gear as they scrambled after the two now retreating women "Mommy! You are going to erase those photos this instant!" Shego bellowed while Kale just laughed at the sight of it all with Kim and Ron staying ahead of him with big grins and Yori pulled up the rear of the procession with Will.

A little over an hour later Betty Director left the lab that she had been in with Harli visibly shaken with what she had learned of the man she had seen risk life and limb for Kim and the others.

"_If what he stated is true, and after hearing and seeing what he showed me I'm inclined to believe it is, I will need to keep a very close eye on our bi-spectrum headed friend from now on."_ she surmised to herself as she made her way back to her on site apartment to rest.

Harli was now off attempting to verify that all he had told the director was accurate and what he might be able to do to detect if and when the things he stated would in fact come to pass. He knew that the best place to do this was in the labs of Drs. Lode and Lipsky and so he made his way to them.

After making it back to the on site apartments of Kim and her family Shego spent almost thirty minutes unsuccessfully attempting to retrieve Isabel's camera from her to delete the incriminating photos while the rest, including Kale watched the spectacle with amusement.

Finally resigned to the fact that her mother was still (barely) better then her she made her way over to her best friend and Kale and sat while giving him a mild glare "Some boyfriend you are. Wouldn't even help me with my own mother."

He grinned, both at her actually calling him her boyfriend as well as the reason for it "We both know that she isn't human and that it would more then likely take all of us to pin her for long enough to wrangle that thing away from her. Even if we did Kim has one too and I'm sure she would take more pictures while we were indisposed trying to wrestle with Isabel."

He then leaned close enough that he was almost certain that even motherly super hearing wouldn't make out what he whispered to Brianna "We will just have to get them back at some point and make sure that it is good enough that they will not use those pictures against us." as he finished speaking he kissed her quickly on the cheek and shot Kim a wary glance as he saw the camera in motion.

After the major ruckus calmed down Anne and James came in bringing little Kale back to be with his parents so that they might spend some quiet time together after all the recent commotion and retired to their room.

Will bade them all a good evening and then offered to escort Yori to an apartment adjacent to his own, Yori surprised almost everyone by taking him up on the offer and the two left, light conversation on their lips.

Kim and Ron exchanged knowing looks as Shego looked to Kale who just shrugged.

Isabel stood and explained that she still needed to check in on Shego's brothers and torment them for a while before she retired to bed and was off.

Once it was just the five of them Kim and Ron's focus shifted to their son with Kale and Shego watching while being content with just being close to each other, Shego letting herself be held close knowing that the people in the room would never speak about it elsewhere.

A while later with a great yawn Kim looked to her guests and found that sometime during her trying to tucker her son out both Kale and Shego had fallen into a light slumber.

Smiling at the sight and not wanting to wake them just yet she nudged Ron with her elbow and pointed towards the duo.

It took an amazing amount of willpower on his part to not laugh at the fact that Shego had a small patch of drool where she had settled her head against Kale's shoulder while Kale had tucked his head on top of hers, still holding the raven headed woman in a light but secure embrace.

Sighing whimsically at the sight again Kim gently picked her son up off of the floor where he had finally succumbed to the enticements of the sand man and took him into the bedroom that his crib shared with his parents bed.

When she emerged several minutes later Ron was in the middle of a fit of mostly silent laughter that she could not understand until she looked to the couch.

Kale had apparently shifted and now had his face squarely in Shego's cleavage, the blush that was extending to his extremities proof enough that he was now quite awake, the fact that he had yet to move spoke of a possible conflict with his flight response.

Shego herself was in no better condition, now awake she was fairly shaking with both embarrassment and quiet laughter oddly enough.

It was obvious that if they had not been in front of others this would not have been a problem but since they were in Kim and Ron's apartment Kale had all but frozen in mortification at the presence of his parents.

Several moments later Kale began to extricate himself (sadly) from Shego's chest sheepishly looking at Ron who had yet to completely stop grinning like a fool and Kim who still had her hand covering her mouth which didn't hide her grin in the least.

Shego shook her head in bemusement as he hastily whispered "Sorry." before she looked to Kim "I think it's probably time for all of us to grab some shut eye."

Standing up she helped Kale gain his footing, turned him towards the door and not looking at her best friend "Kim, I'd better not find any pictures of this anywhere, got it? Come on Sparky, let's go and get you settled." she finished exiting the door.

After waiting to make sure that they were gone Ron looked to Kim "Well what do you think about all these recent developments?"

Kim, her grin now gone sat down on the recently vacated sofa "I don't know if I trust this 'Harli' yet. He was too ready with certain information and then stopped that flow when Kale asked him what sounded like a perfectly reasonable question. That and the whole upper echelon need to know only sitch really didn't sit well with me. We need to get a hold of Wade."

Sitting next to his wife he nodded "Yeah, he might be able to get some answers but that wasn't the only thing I was referring to and you know it. I mean the 'Kale and Shego' thing. I know that you still look out for her and we really don't know all that much about him."

She shot him a raised eyebrow "Are you saying you don't trust him?"

He shook his head "No, actually I trust him almost completely. He has proven that he is willing to do whatever it takes to protect those he cares about and even save those who are his enemies, it is just that we know so little about him. Heck even he is having a hard time with it apparently. The funny thing to me is the fact that Shego might be the stabilizing factor in regards to Kale. He is, for the most part, calmer around her from what we've seen and that just strikes me as irony in the first degree."

Kim sat there for a moment "It's true in reverse too if you think about it. All the times she been fairly calm lately, he's been present in one way or another. I don't know if I've ever seen her so concerned about anyone the way she was around him after she saw him on the island."

Ron smirked "I have. She was the same way when you got pretty hurt on a couple of our missions. She didn't show it as openly I'll admit but it was there. As for Harli I think that we should have both Wade and Drew look into it. Enough about all this for now though, I do believe I hear a bed calling our names." he finished while wriggling his eyebrows.

Kim smiled at her obviously damaged husband "Well Mr. Stoppable I do believe you are right, the only question I have is can you get there before I take the good side of the mattress." with that she vaulted over the back of the sofa Ron hot on her heels towards the bedroom.

Several hours later a shadowy figure made it's was towards a door, the sounds of someone using the restroom reaching it's ears.

Slowly opening the hinged barrier the back side of a male came into view, a very naked male with both red and green hair.

Moving into the room the figure, still unnoticed by the room's other occupant, set up for the strike and then enacted it's attack.

As Kale was just finishing up his late night emergency call of nature he was startled as a pair of arms wrapped around him and reacted with his years of training, his would be assailant found themselves being pulled over his shoulder and flung towards the wall.

Finishing his maneuver he looked up to see Shego complete her flip and come to a stop in front of him wearing her trademark smirk and nothing else. "Jumpy there Blaze?" she cooed, sending shivers down his back.

He smirked back "I told you I'd be right back. You're lucky you are you. That would have broken most people."

She sauntered up to him and placed a kiss square on his lips "I'm not most people hot stuff. Hurry up now, the bed is getting cold." with that she seemingly vanished from the room back into the darkness of the bedroom.

He finished washing his hands and as he reached for the light switch his smirk grew "Well then we should remedy that." darkness took the room as he killed the light.

______________________________________________________________________________

Please Review if you liked it, heck even if you didn't. I'd like to know if people are still reading this.

Yes I was being silly during part of this I'm sure that most of you will get where.


	27. As Normal As It Gets

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does, theyPirates of the Carribean as well. Lt. Ripley and Cpl. Hicks belong to Twentieth Century Fox. Freakazoid belongs to Warner Bros. Isabel Gooding belongs to Starving Lunatic. Kale Possible is mine.

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get an update on here. I would site life and a case of writers block as I have been working on this chapter for the better part of eight months for what I have. If it appears disjointed I apologize. I will try and get another one up before too long. I needed to figure out how to get from here to there in where I am taking things.

Chapter 27: As Normal As It Gets

The next few weeks passed with a minimum of anything that could called excitement.

After almost a week had passed since the attack on the island Kim had come forward in public to show that she had not been killed and was in fact very much alive and interested in finding out who had been behind the attack in the first place.

Once that had been taken care of and with no reaction from any hostiles that could be seen Dr. Director let the Possibles and the Stoppables return to their homes, after they had been throughly inspected of course.

With things settling down a bit Betty then turned her attentions towards her new arrivals and what to do with them.

Kale and Shego had apparently become quite close recently and were more of a handful then just Shego herself. More then once there had been reports of overconfident fresh recruits being sent screaming from training sessions by both of the plasma wielders for various infractions, it seems that Kale did not appreciate the males giving Shego lip or overlong looks and it was just the same for the females with Shego for Kale.

The training to be a part of Team Possible was moving along at a fast pace but she was not surprised, he did claim to be Kim and Ron's son and it really seemed to be so. She did have her worries about Kale, mostly from her talk with Harli; the other relatively unknown factor in her view lately.

Her doubts aside, she had to admit that both he and Shego worked very well as a team.

They didn't do things as stealthily as Kim and Ron but then they did have the advantage of built in pyrotechnics to divert the attention away from the other members of the team so that they could move about in relative ease.

This was not to say they couldn't be silent, but their philosophy seemed to be one extreme or the other; there was no middle ground.

During one 'capture the flag' session she had pitted Team Possible against two whole platoons of agents that they had trained, the object being to get the flag from the center of the field to the opponents base and hold it for the limit of the game.

After it had begun Kale and Shego wasted no time in making more then a few of the agents wish it had been four platoons and Kim and Ron eventually found themselves engaged in the melee as more of the agents tried in vain to find the flag and (hopefully) get it to Team Possibles base.

Once the free for all had come to it's conclusion no one seemed to know what had become of the flag until Shego lifted one of the corners of the bunker at the agents base. There lay the flag underneath, she and Kale had retrieved it and placed it there within the first minutes of the game's beginning with no one the wiser.

When asked why they had not said anything they looked to one another smirking and replied "And take away everyone's fun?"

She had just shaken her head at that, she realized a reprimand would have done very little except encourage further antics.

In an effort to keep a closer eye on him she had given Kale a class to share with Will in mixed training operations. After three days Will requested that Kale be assigned to Shego on the premise that they had similar training and would better mesh as a unit which she read as Du speak for the fact that Kale was driving him up the walls with his non-standard teaching methods.

When they were not attempting to drive her to consider drinking the duo could usually be found hanging around with either Kim, Ron and little Kale or their friends, who had taken to Kale with ease considering what they knew about him.

Early October found them celebrating little Kale's first birthday and subsequently big Kale's twenty eighth as well. Shego had conspired with the rest of Team Possible as well as Kim's parents and brothers to make it one he would not soon forget.

Several times Kim had expressed an interest in Kale's holographic companion to Betty, more to the point she had stated that she felt that he was holding something important from them. He had been fairly reclusive since coming back on line and barely even talked to Kale let alone interacted with his partner.

He had taken to secluding himself in one of the small labs and had locked it down so tight that even Wade had not yet found a flaw in the system to see what he was working on.

From what he had obtained from the genetics lab both Wade and Drew had a feeling it had something to do with the outburst towards Kale but they were merely speculating with no way to back up their theory.

For her part Dr. Director was ominously silent about things while letting him have access to what he needed. It made Kim a little curious as to what exactly had transpired during the debriefing he had given the good director and she didn't like being kept in the dark about something that may affect her family as she now most assuredly counted Kale as family.

Halloween was a spectacle for a variety for several reasons. It was the first real Halloween for the new family so of course both parents were buzzing with excitement about little Kale's costume. They found several that they both loved but finally settled on dressing him as a mini Jack Sparrow with Kim donning a convincing Elisabeth costume and Ron going as a blond Will Turner which both Shego and Kale thought was just silly enough to work.

When Kale arrived at the Possible/Stoppable household he found that he and Shego had apparently had similar thoughts when it came to costumes as when she opened the door to greet him she was decked out in her Lt. Ripley outfit which meshed very well with his Cpl. Hicks costume. They just took one another in for a few moments before both of them broke out into wide grins, apparently they liked the same movies.

The party was going well when the surprise of the evening happened as Yori showed up resplendent in a traditional Southern Belle costume with Will Du trailing her done up to the nines in a Southern Gentleman's costume. Things seemed to be going very well between the two of them and everyone was happy for the new couple, they complemented each other nicely.

As they made their way through the home they saw Drew had come as a character named Freakazoid and he pulled it off well surprisingly enough.

Wade had opted to spend the evening with his parents and Bonnie and Monique had decided to stay home and pass out candy. The Drs. Possible had taken the twins out to Slim's ranch and the Stoppables had taken Hana out trick or treating and did stop by for just that purpose at one point.

The party was going well when Kale heard the familiar chime of the communicator that he and Harli still had and apparently still used.

Turning it on he was surprised the find the face of Dr. Director staring back at him "Yes Director?"

"Kale? Good I was hoping you'd answer this. I had tried Kim, Ron, and Shego's communicators but I received no response. We have a situation involving Professor Dementor and I was hoping to get Team Possible on it right away."

He cocked his eyebrow at the one eyed woman for a moment "Did it ever occur to you to just use the phone? I don't think they have their comms' on them right now as we are in the middle of a party. I'll let them know and we'll be there shortly. Kale out." with that him hit the off button before she could respond.

He found Shego entertaining Yori by telling her about some of the times she'd evaded GJ and Will back when she'd still been in the villain business.

"Hey Em, the director just called me on my comm. Apparently old man Dementor is up to something. She wants us to go put a stop to it. I think we should let Kim and Ron have some time with their friends and handle this one ourselves. What do you say?"

She craned an eyebrow at him "First off Blaze, 'Old man Dementor'?" she asked, gesturing with her fingers as quotation comments.

Half a second later a smirk parted her lips "Right; I keep forgetting you aren't from these here temporal parts. As for letting those two have some downtime, I think that would be fine and I've been itching to go clobber some idiot goblins and I think he fits that description. Let One eye know we'll be there shortly."

Fifteen minutes later the two, still clad in costume, strode into Dr. Director's office.

She looked up from the report that had been recently brought before her "So it is just the two of you then? And what is with the absurd outfits?"

They displayed matching smirks before Shego answered "Well Libby, it is Halloween and we figured that it would be a shame to not go trick or treating at a certain metal clad topped morons doorstep."

Five minutes later they entered Team Possibles' hanger to acquire fast transport to the site indicated by the coordinates given by their superior.

Shego glanced over towards Kale and almost tripped when she saw the look on his face as they neared the aircraft they would be taking.

He was openly gawking at the sleek machine in front of him, almost drooling.

"We're really taking the X-43 for this mission?" he asked, sounding like a kid who had been told he could have the five pound chocolate bunny for breakfast.

Finally cracking she managed to answer him between gasps for air "Bwahaha..yes Sparky... hehe.. we're taking it. I heh, would have figured this would be old hat for you, you know being from the future and all."

"Well they never let me at this one personally, they did have the production models and I have flown those, but this is one of the prototypes. I mean how would you feel if you had been invited to Skunkworks and were told you would be flying the SR-71 before anyone else?" He cocked his eyebrow at her in a 'I dare you to deny it' manner.

She just nodded as she got herself back under control knowing she would have jumped at the chance.

After getting the craft secured and a quick preliminary check of the systems they were ready to depart. Shego turned to Kale "So any clue what our designation should be?'

He thought about that for a moment and with a slightly evil gleam to his eyes leaned forward and whispered what he thought into her ear so it would not be picked up by any devices, she laughed again before tripping the comm unit.

"Tower, this is Team Possible Beta requesting clearance." Shego spoke into the mic.

"Beta, this is the tower. You have a go for flight." Came the response.

As she throttled up the engines Kale grumbled from the co-pilots seat and Shego rolled her eyes "Listen I am not going to go by the moniker of Team Lemon-Lime just because it's our colors. You'll just have to think of something else."

As the aircraft left the runway he set aside his torment of his partner and began setting in the lairs' co-ordinates for the trip. As he was doing so he realized something "Hey Bri? This base is apparently in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. From what I remember of these craft they aren't watertight in the least."

Shegos' voice came over the helmet speakers "Yeah, We're going to have to land on the beach and get out there by zodiac more then likely. I'll do a low altitude fly over in stealth mode to give us an idea of what we're looking at."

"Roger that. ETA to location is about forty five minutes give of take. Hey Em, you know I was just kidding with that team name." Kale smiled as he spoke.

Shego just smirked as she resounded with "Doy Blaze. I figured even someone related to Ron would have to be smarter then that."

"Hey!" was all he said before sticking his tongue out at his girlfriend.

***************

Back at Global Justice Headquarters something was bugging Harli.

He had been running through the latest batch of test results on Kale's resurfacing abilities and what it might mean.

This last result was disturbing in it's potential, with the addition of Shegos' abilities, Harli was not sure if the containment chip was finally failing for good and that meant dire things indeed if Rage were to surface again.

They had barely subdued it the last time and while it was out they surgically implanted the experimental neural chip that dampened both Kale's comet born and natural born powers. It had worked flawlessly until the shift through dimensions apparently started a cascade failure that meant if Kale continued to use said abilities there was no telling what might occur.

When Kale had mentioned Liam, Harli knew things were progressing at a rapid pace.

Liam was a failsafe just as he had told everyone, what he'd only told Dr. Director was that it was not a simulacrum of Kale so much as a warning embedded with several memories that would be brought to his or their superiors attention so that they could fix the chip. Without the technology to recreate the chip Harli had no idea what to do if it did fail.

This was part of what he had confided to Dr. Director when he had asked for privacy several weeks ago now. She had in turn given him access to equipment he would need to monitor Kale covertly and report directly to her and only her.

It had made hanging with his friend lately a fleeting thing at best and he could tell that Kale, Shego and Kim all thought something was amiss.

Kim was especially keen to find out what he was doing and it was becoming more difficult to divert her from finding out, what with having one of the premier hackers on the planet at her beck and call.

From this report the chip was definitely failing but it should hold unless there was a massive surge all at once and not just a power surge but something that would cause Kale to lose it completely so Harli was fairly certain that while it was a present danger the chip should hold for a little while yet.

He went in search of the director to inform her of his findings not thinking that his hypothesis could come back to bite them in the rear very shortly.

************

Shego keyed her helmet mic "Heads up Sparky. We're almost at the co-ordinates and we should both keep an eye out for it. It may be low in the water to help conceal it."

Kales' response was fairly dry "Yup, or it could be that island that shouldn't be there."

She looked to her left and silently cursed herself for not spotting it first "Good eye Red, but don't let it go to your head. Let's get down there and wrap this up quick. I want to get back to the party if we can."

"Who me? I'd never get a swelled head over something as silly as seeing the island, nope not me." Came the heavily sarcasm ladened response.

Shego just shook her head as she probably deserved a little ribbing after some of the times she had become overconfident in her skills and had suffered for it.

They landed on the beach without incident but that just made them more uneasy.

Kale, after doffing his helmet looked around as the canopy rose open "Is it me or should we have had more of a welcoming committee then what we've gotten so far?"

Shego nodded "I don't like this either. Let's stay frosty and find out where everyone is."

After they both departed Shego pressed a button on a small remote and the craft simmered slightly as the optical camouflage kicked in hiding it from view. They then turned and headed towards what looked like it should be an entrance while trying to figure out why they hadn't been attacked yet.

They both had ideas why but they ranged from maybe they had not been detected to Dementor was just having his minions lay in wait until both of them were inside. It justed seemed odd that they hadn't encountered anything yet not even anti personnel traps for unwanted guests like themselves. As they neared what appeared to be doors they found at least part of their answer, two guards lay out cold near an open entryway into the island lair. They looked at each other, raised an eyebrow apiece at what was before them and then made their way in; obviously they were not the first ones to this party and they wanted to know why.

Using silent signals they covered each other as they worked their way further into the lair, every so often finding more disabled guards. It was starting to make them wonder if they'd showed up to the party late and no one had told them.

Just as they were about to breach an unopened doorway two black clad figures moved from out of the shadows and only their heightened senses allowed them to avoid the attack that followed.

Turning to face their attackers both of them had the same thought, ninja. At said thought both comet powered warriors gave a predatory smile that apparently caught the opposing fighters off guard and paid for it as Kale and Shego both connected with powerful kicks that sent the two ninja through the doors and into a more open area.

Both figures quickly righted themselves and warily eyed Kale and Shego as they too entered the room and the battle was begun in earnest. As they fought all four combatants were noting how hard it was to land a hit let alone gain an advantage. This thought disturbed Shego, she knew only four people who could keep up with her and unless Kim or her mother had suddenly decided that fighting for Dementor was a hoot something was very off as Kale was fighting beside her. Kale meanwhile was having similar thoughts for a different reason, he recognized the fighting styles of both ninja and from what he could gather he had a niggling in the back of his head that told him he should wrap things up.

While fending off his sparring partner he called to Shego "Hey Em, I think this two haven't figured out who we are yet. You want to enlighten them or should I?"

Shego nearly lost her footing hearing his only slightly covered joke " 'Enlighten them' Sparky? That was so bad but I get your point. Let's show these guys exactly who they decided to tangle with."

With that she summoned forth her trademark plasma and while it did bring the fight to an abrupt end it was not in the way she and Kale expected.

Both ninja stopped and flipped back almost instantly and reached up to pull their masks off. The first one to remove their mask was the female of the two and t revealed a teen who looked to be around sixteen or so with longer black hair and stunning green eyes filled with confusion and a slight bit of trepidation. The other pulled his off revealing a young man who looked to be around eighteen or so with red hair and a very familiar face.

Shego balked at this while looking between Kale and the younger male. Kale just stared in dawning realization before speaking "Little Kale?"

While all he got was a stunned look back the young lady stopped both Kale and Shego and their whirling thoughts with her one word question aimed at the female plasma wielder "Mom?"

********

So I know that things are moving faster in some parts and a little slower in others but I will try and even that out in the future. I suck at writing combat scenes, I just have a hard time writing down what I see flowing in a fight so you'll just have to imagine a good bit of it sorry.

If I haven't lost everyone who was following this story I'd love to hear what you think. Heck if you're new to the story I'd love to hear from you as well. Any review is a good one so if you what to let me know where you'd like to see improvement let me know or I'll never improve.

Until next update;

Sylver


	28. Dire Awakening

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible or any of the characters in the show. Kale Possible is from my own demented mind.

Chapter 28: Dire Awakening

There was a knock at her door and Dr. Director wondered who would be so polite this late in the evening seeing as most of her normal staff knew that if there were something important they should enter to let her know about it without delay.

"Yes? What do you want?" She called.

The door opened to reveal Harli with several documents tucked under his right arm "I have the latest reports on Kale and I think you should take a good look at the results." he stated as he crossed the somewhat small office to set the papers on her desk.

She picked up and proceeded to read through them her brow becoming more furrowed as she went.

Once she finished she turned back to the holographic scientist and began her questioning "So according to these readings that chip is becoming more unstable? What are we going to do about that, hell can we do something about it? Or is this Rage persona going to take control of, from everything you've told me about him, one of the more powerful people running around on the face of this planet?"

Harli shifted about in a perfect imitation of someone who was very nervous or uncomfortable, at least that was her take on his behavior. She was beginning to see Harli as more and more of a 'him' instead of an 'it' and that gave her pause. Wasn't this what they had been striving for; to make an artificial intelligence that would be indistinguishable from a 'real' person? As she pondered this another thought passed by and waved at her so she decided to ask him about it.

"Harli I want to know exactly why this persona is so dangerous and why Kale was allowed to continue doing missions if they were afraid that it could gain control again. I would imagine that they would have felt a lot safer if he'd been under heavy guard somewhere very secure." she finished in a way that told him that it wasn't a request.

He nodded and sat himself down across from his new superior "First I want you to think about something. How would you feel if they locked you away for something you couldn't remember and treated you as a super villain? They knew that if they kept him under watch for any traces that Rage was trying to break trough they could step in and quell it. That was my primary reason for staying with him, well that and I was the only person who he would take as a partner after Chel died. As for Rage itself, that is a bit complicated. On a solo mission when he was seventeen he was taken by surprise and captured by DNAmy and her daughter RNAmy. Before Global Justice or Team Go could mount a rescue he managed to free himself but at the time nobody realized the extent of their genetic tinkering and unfortunately during his escape he managed to destroy the lab so we never were able to find out exactly what they had done and they refused to tell us saying we would figure it out eventually." he paused and she just looked at him expectantly.

He sat for a moment longer and then continued "Rage first manifested itself when Chel was killed in front of him, we think that he just snapped and the emotional overload caused him to undergo the change. After that first time it showed itself two more times, both inflicting major damage and some loss of life to WWEE operations and personnel as he went after Gemini. For some reason that we couldn't tell, he felt that Gemini was responsible for Chel's death. During the second attack we were able to subdue Rage, but it was a close thing. A couple of the agents swore that the only reason we did get him was that he seemed to be fighting himself at the end. Kale never knew about the truth of the matter, it was like Rage and he were two separate entities. Director Du surmised that as long as we could keep Kale the active persona that it would be safer to keep him on active duty."

Betty interrupted him at this point "What do you mean he didn't remember exactly?"

He blinked at her "Just what I said. We preformed every test we could think of to see if the memories were there and couldn't find hint one."

She nodded at this information, clearly thinking of something "So what did Rage look like when it manifested?"

Harli took a hard look at the woman across from him before answering "I think you are holding something back right now but I'll bite. When Rage was in control he was physically bigger by about a foot or so and from the reports had somewhat feline features, cat's eyes and the like. He was also surrounded by a aura of pale green. I almost flipped when he flared up in the lab like he did. If I'd had a heart I think it would have given out. Please, tell me why you are asking these very specific questions."

Instead of answering him she took two discs out of one of the secure filing cabinets and set them on the desk. "I want you to look at these and then tell me what you think. I'll give you twenty minutes while I go grab some coffee and take a short powder break." With that she left the room with Harli wandering exactly what the hell was going on.

He shrugged and moved over to the terminal and inserted the first disc.

It showed the cell that Kale had been in originally and the physical reaction to his dream. It then cut to the hospital room where Kale had told everyone present about what had happened on that fateful mission. Harli watched in rapt awe, he had never known exactly had happened but to hear that Kale was remembering it all after being present for all the testing and inquiries that told them he knew nothing was unnerving. It ended with the revelation that Gemini had been behind the entire thing and had just used Tanner as a means to an end. That made Harli shudder as he realized Rage hadn't been completely out of control, he was hunting for the man responsible for Chel's death. That meant that somewhere in there Kale had to have still been cognizant.

Harli wasn't so sure that he wanted to see the second disc when it occurred to him want Dr. Director had asked and what it might mean.

He did so anyway; he owed Kale that much.

This one showed from several angles the fight between Kale and the ninja that had attempted to free Monkey Fist and Senior Junior. He eyes widened as he watched Shego and Kim taken out of the fight with the grenade and Kale's reaction to it. As Kale was surrounded by the now familiar (to Harli) pale green aura he realized that the chip had already failed. He was even more astonished when Kale then took control and the aura faded away as he rushed to the aid of the ninja that had attacked him only to be severely wounded by Kale's strike.

Once the video ended he just sat there processing this new information, it certainly merited deep thought.

A few minutes later Dr. Director reentered the office and found Harli back in his chair.

Sitting down she looked at him "Well what do you think?"

Harli just looked back at her "I wish you'd have brought this to my attention sooner for one thing. As for the videos, I'm not really sure but I think that the reason Kale could regain control was the chip hadn't failed completely yet and so Rage couldn't take full advantage of the situation. For the regaining of the memories I have no real clue as to how he is remembering all of this now but it does explain why Rage had gone after WWEE. I think that Rage and Kale both might be for lack of better terms evolving or merging, becoming something else and quite frankly that scares me down to my core processors."

Back on the island

Kale and Shego both were staring in confusion at the young lady who had just asked a very thought stopping question. They looked to each other and then back to the two teens.

Kale was about to ask what they were doing there when a voice cut through the large room they were in.

"Ahh if it isn't the renowned Team Possible, and it seems you have brought friends." the German accent reverberating as a screen light up above them.

There stood the distinctive form of Professor Dementor and apparently he was not alone as there was a second man next to him.

As he stood there Dementor appeared to be pondering something "Shego, that is you is it not? Where is fraulein Possible and her husband?"

Shego looked up to him leaving her other questions for later "We decided to give Kimmie and Ron some time with their friends. It is Halloween after all, I see even you got into the spirit of things dressing as the fool as always."

Flustered at the taunt he glowered at her "So you decided to bring some poor soul with you and take me out yourself? You know I am no pushover. I swear her luck must run infinite what with her escaping that explosion with I was informed there was no way to avoid."

Kale took this moment to interrupt fairly growling out his question "That was you? I should destroy you for that!"

the diminutive man looked at the newcomer "I wish I could take credit for that but no, that would fall to my new associate." He finished with a wave of his hand to the man beside him who stepped forward into the light.

Both of the teens with them knew this man well as they had fought him and stopped several plots of his "Gemini!"

Shego took note that Kale was shaking fairly heavily and his face was twisted in anger before Gemini spoke.

"Ahh the ever pesky Kale and Genevieve Possible. This is the Team Possible I was speaking to you about earlier Dementor. I know of Shego as well. This is momentous indeed, now we can destroy both the thorns in my side as well as cripple yours. With a loss such as her dear friend I'm sure that Kim Possible would be much easier to dispose of."

Kale had by this point removed the helmet that had partially hidden his face and hair and was staring at Gemini as though looking at something to obliterate. At this point all involved realized that he had begun to emit a glow, one that four people recognized.

Shego remembered this as the glow she had first witnessed when Kale had powered up fighting the ninja and later as the evolving one that had flared during they're introduction to Harli.

Both the teens recognized it as a paler version of the one emitted by Gen's dad when he got really pissed at someone and that always meant that whoever was on the receiving end would be in traction.

Gemini grew pale as he realized the fourth member of the group he had been addressing was someone who almost all villains whispered about for fear that he and his partner would materialize out of thin air to destroy them or their lair, he was looking at the Demon.

As they all watched Kale began to grow larger as muscles shifted and bone enlarged to accommodate the larger frame. The clothing he was wearing snapping buckles and ripping as his body outgrew the capacity of it.

When it was over several seconds later everyone gawked at the now almost seven foot glowing thing that had been Kale. It was flexing it's now claw-like hands and nearly deafened Shego and the teens as it bellowed "TANNER! YOU ARE GOING TO DIE AGAIN YOU BASTARD!"

Interlude: Neverwhere and Everywhen

There came a sound of grinding stone and finally light and clanging flooded the darkness of the uncovered cavern so long ago hidden from the sight of man as the large cap stone was rolled away.

A lone cloaked individual strode in trough the newly made opening carrying with them an odd headless statue that beat it's cymbal covered hands together more rapidly the closer it came to the rest of itself now laying atop the stone alter the figure made its way towards.

"Finally the Tempus Simia is complete. Now I can begin my plans for Team Possible and give them exactly what they deserve." The figure chorkled as it connected the head to it's base.

There was a sudden flash of light and a swirling blue white vortex sprang into existence, after they stepped through it the vortex folded in upon itself and there was stillness in the cavern once again.

Elsewhen

The figure smiled from the shadows as the sounds of battle erupted below, Team Possible had just made their appearance in the lair of one Professor Dementor.

The cloaked one had been awaiting this for several hours and was glad to finally be able to implement the first stage of their plan.

As the combat raged the figure spied their target moving towards a critical looking bank of computer equipment from the shadows.

Moving to intercept they dropped down behind their target so quietly that it went unnoticed by their intended victim.

Just before he could sever the cables he was working on they grabbed him and rendered him unconscious.

Looking around to make sure they had not been detected, the individual then finished what their prize had started and sliced through several of the power cables with ease causing a cascade failure throughout the complex systems as they shorted out and began detonating.

In the ensuing chaos no one noticed a swirl of blue and white against the rest of the explosions and screams from different individuals, some in anger, others in dismay and several in disbelief.

One in particular rose above the din just before the portal closed making the figure momentarily pause and look back, a sad smile on their face.

"RUFUS!"

A shorter chapter then the last several ones I know but I'm trying to get a chapter out sooner then the last couple and I've added a little something to make folk wonder what is going on. This little side story is going to be at the end of the next several chapters and give you all a little more story that I don't think I can make into a full one on it's own. I hope you enjoy it and please leave feedback. I do enjoy knowing that folks out there are still reading my story and enjoying it.


	29. Hello Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible or any of the characters in the show. Kale and Gen Possible are from my own demented mind. I suppose Tanner is as well.

Chapter 29: Hello me it's me again

The results of this declaration were quick and decisive; Dementor, realizing that the odds were by no means still in his favor fled through an escape tunnel that he opened next to him. He didn't even look back to see if Gemini was following, he in point of fact, was not.

Randall Tanner was rooted to the spot he occupied so frozen with terror at the fact that not only was he facing down the Demon but that it had just bellowed his name in conjunction with (in his mind) certain death.

Shego stared at her now hairy and semi feline boyfriend in dawning realization, this had to be Rage. Not only that but hearing him announce the destruction of someone like that made her think on the name and a second realization struck her as she turned to the teen Possibles.

"Get him out of here now!" she ordered pointing up to the frozen man before confronting the being in front of her.

"Kale, I know you can hear me! That is not the man you remember. He is innocent of what happened to you and Chel and killing him is wrong. Come on Sparky, don't do this!" she plead with the hulking fur covered male in front of her, it all the while seemed to be paying her almost no attention as it moved to launch itself at the man on the balcony.

Shego struck first with a high, fast snap kick into the side of Rage's head, it barely moved him sideways but it did seem to get his attention as he turned and flexed his clawed hands at her and growled.

Gen and young Kale both bolted into action as Shego distracted Rage.

Gen activated her ability which caused her to flicker momentarily and then appear to sink into the shadows around her.

Young Kale started to monkey climb up the junction of the two walls nearest Gemini and made it to the balcony in a matter of moments.

After getting there he made his way over to the frozen man who in turn still had his eyes glued to the battle going on below him.

"Gen, I've got him; do whatever you're going to do and get up here. I think we really need to get out of here while they work this out for themselves, that is what your mom told you to do before we left." Kale shouted at his invisible partner.

As Shego continued to push her advantage against her larger but slightly slower adversary as she now considered the furred figure she was battling, she hoped that she could reach Kale and bring this to a close. She lead in with a reverse roundhouse that he managed to block but which left him open to the leg sweep she dropped into that she followed up with a straight punch to his xyphiod process hoping to stun him long enough that she could try and get through to her boyfriend.

"Kale, I know you are in there and that you can hear me! Fight him, you are strong enough to beat him!" she plead as Rage got back to his feet.

A low rumbling laugh came from the large male "I do believe you are trying to reach someone who really no longer exists. I've got that sad little excuse for a person locked in the cage that they made for me so long ago. I'm finally free and I intend to stay that way." Rage finished and flashed her a fang filled grin before lashing out with a savage haymaker from his right side that Shego barely blocked.

As she slid back from the impact he followed with an arcing ax kick that caught her in the left shoulder and drove her to her knees before she rolled backwards to avoid his left knee as it impacted the ground where her head should have been.

"He's a lot faster then I though he would be and a heck of a lot stronger." Shego thought to herself as she righted herself to fend him off as he came in for several slashing strikes with his clawed hands.

She managed to fend off his strikes but not without several wounds along her forearms. This brought a new thought to mind "He's attacking to kill." The revelation brought chills to her as she realized that if she didn't up her game to the same level she might well be killed at the hand of the man she had opened up to.

Rage seemed to sense the thought as he noticed his female opponent stiffed and a fear flash through her eyes before she stared at him defiantly "So the little green lady finally figured out that I'm going to kill her. Good, I want you to know that your boyfriend is gone and that after I finish here I'm going to go visit his family and get rid of them. I don't need them interfering with me as I finish what I was created to do; destroying this miserable world."

Inside Kale's mind

In a small confined cage that would not even react as he beat against it Kale was trying every trick he knew to get out and stop the monster that had taken over his body and we now trying to kill his Shego. There was no lock and he seemed to be as trapped as Rage said he was, unable to do anything but watch as the fiend attacked her and threatened to kill both her and his family.

It was driving him crazy that he was helpless to do anything.

Even as that thought crossed his mind a voice seemed to call out from no where "Helpless are you? Why would you think that? Just because you are trapped doesn't mean anything when it isn't even your mind in the first place."

From out of what he would call the shadows of his mind a figure appeared, a figure he recognized and as he looked memories flooded his mind. Memories that he knew but with someone else in his place, no not his place; their place. These were unaltered memories of his true self, he realized as he looked at the figure now standing in front of him "You're the key here aren't you? The reason for me even existing was because you couldn't handle what happened that day and retreated in here where you could watch and be safe from anything hurting you ever again."

It nodded "You speak the truth, I couldn't take the fact that I lost the one that made me complete so I locked myself in here away from everything and changed things so that no one could find me. The time for recriminations will have to wait if we are to save the one that completes you and your adopted family from that abomination that DNAmy and her progeny grafted into us."

He looked at the figure "I would love to but the barrier that holds me was crafted with ancient wards to hold evil and I don't think they know that I'm not the one they were designed to hold. I really don't know how you believe I'm powerful enough to break them by myself."

"Who ever said you would do so alone? You should know that you are more powerful then you think and not just with the abilities you were given but you will figure that out in time. I think that it is time we utilized the remaining bit of power from your uncles that we stored for a last ditch effort." with that said the figure reached out and with no apparent effort put it's hand through the barrier, waiting for Kale's hand in return.

"Things are going to change if you go through with this but there is no other way I'm afraid." it said and Kale just nodded.

He smiled just a bit before his hand joined the others "Well life is all about change as our teachers taught us so I'm ready, lets go end this."

Their hands met and if there had been anyone else to witness it a brilliant flash enveloped the two beings as they merged and the last thing they would have heard was a whisper, "Godspeed Kaylee, I'll see you soon." and with that an angel vanished along with the two beings made one.

Back at GJ headquarters

Betty Director looked hard at Harli "What do you mean merging? Do you think that the monster that Kale might turn into is trying to change him or do you think that Kale is learning from the monster?"

He shook his head "I don't know and that is the crux of the problem. Unless I can figure that out and make sure he is no danger I think it might be best to try and contain him."

He held his hand up as she looked like she was about to object "I know what I said before but with this new information and the inability to make a new chip I don't know that we have any alternative."

As Betty was about to say her piece she was interrupted by the command center "Ma'am, you told us to watch for any odd fluctuations at Team Possibles location dealing with Dementor. We have some really odd readings right now, you should really see this."

Both she and Harli rose and moved towards the command center and as they hurried there she looked at him "Anything else I should know about before we get them back here and lock him up?" she asked in a tight voice.

He flinched at her tone but replied "Well there is one thing that I should mention but I think it should wait till after we see what they are seeing."

As they entered the room she gave him a 'this isn't over' glare and then they moved to see what Ops had found.

"Alright what do we have?" she asked as she looked at the power fluctuations being displayed on the monitor before her.

The tech nodded "These started about five minutes ago from the location and we have determined that they match the powers of Shego but there are other energy fluctuations that we've never seen before and they are almost off the scale."

As Harli looked at the readings he paled "Director, I know these readings. I think Rage is loose and if that's the case Shego may very well be fighting for her life."

At that she turned and began barking out orders for a full platoon of agents to gear up and proceed to the last known coordinates of Team Possible with orders to detain Kale Possible, if he resists or attacks the order was bring him down by whatever means necessary.

There was a moment of silence as the agents looked at their boss confused but then their training kicked in and they were off.

Harli looked to the older woman and realized that she was staring at him with a gaze that made him feel like he was four cycles old. "Is there anything else I need to know, anything that might help this situation before it spins even more out of control?" she asked the A.I.

"Well there was one thing but I'm not sure what relevance that it could have right now." he stated, not able to look the woman in the eye.

"Spit it out. I don't have all day and neither does Kale." she snapped.

He jumped at the edge in her voice "The way Kale is now was not the way things started out. You know that after Chel was killed he returned to TEA headquarters for debriefing and evaluation. What he never knew and that we never told him was that he had changed when he came back."

She followed his words not seeing where he was going with it "What does that have to do with anything?"

He almost snapped off a rebuttal but realized that she was worried about her agents and he had yet to tell her anything. "The thing is that while a lot of things are the same here as back in our dimension certain things are different. Where we are from Kim Possible had one child as here but there it was a girl."

On the island

Shego hit the wall hard and slumped to the floor, bleeding heavily from several deep wounds.

She glared up at the smirking visage of Rage as he moved in to finish her off when suddenly she found herself being pulled into the shadow of the wall by strong feminine arms.

As his target disappeared from his grasp Rage snarled and whirled about to locate her but could not see her anywhere.

Shego found herself next to Gen as the younger woman found her way to her partner up on the upper terrace away from the large angry thing below.

As they reappeared Gen set her mom down "Kale, look after mom. I'm going to try and stop him."

Before she could follow through on her intent she was grabbed by the ankle "Don't you even think about it young lady. If you think I'm letting you anywhere near that thing you've got another thing coming." Shego finished and she regained her footing.

This conversation, though low was enough for Rage to pick up and he turned towards the balcony "So you all gathered in one place so I could finish you all at once, how thoughtful."

He started towards them and went to gather the power within to destroy them but nothing happened.

He stopped to try again and that's when Shego nailed him with a blast of her own "I may be injured you mangy cat but I'm still dangerous. I don't know if he can hear me but I have to stop you no matter what I feel towards him. I know that he would understand." she finished while tears started to stream down her face.

Rage snarled and readied himself to launch himself towards this troublesome female when he felt a presence behind him and turned towards it coming face to face with someone nobody expected to be there; Kim Possible.

Shego was about to scream that Kim run when she noticed something about the redhead standing before the furry monster, the left side of her hair was a vibrant emerald from the temple over.

"Kale?" she said weakly before she found her voice "Kale!"

The female never took her eyes off the abomination before her "Close. My name is Kaylee. I'll explain more after I've dealt with this sorry excuse for a lab experiment."

Rage growled at that "How are you even here? I know that you were locked up just like I did to the weakling!"

Kaylee's eyes blazed at that "The 'weakling' as you put it is right here you genetic accident. We are one and the same and I remember everything. I just used what little ability we kept from the twins to take this form and finish you once and for all."

Elsewhen

It seemed to be just another day for Amy Hall A.K.A. DNAmy as she made her way towards her lab to begin another round of making yet more of her cute and cuddly (in her mind) creations.

She came to an abrupt stop as she rounded the corner and nearly walked right into a hooded figured draped in all black that seemed to meld with the surrounding shadows.

"Good afternoon Dr. Hall, I am interested in retaining your services for a time." the figure intoned.

Amy stood stock still for several precious moments, her mind in shock that someone had, to her; just appeared in her home from out of nowhere.

As she regained her senses her eyes narrowed at the intruder "Who are you? Breaking into someone's home isn't very nice you know."

A decidedly feminine laugh came from beneath the hood "My dear Doctor, I am most definitely not nice so it would behoove you to not take a tone I might find...offensive."

"I have come to you as you have the equipment I require for the next phase of my plan. You can make things go faster for me as you are more familiar with it all but I can do this on my own so I will ask you but once to attend to my needs." the female stated in a tone that sent shivers down the heavyset woman's back.

At the none so subtle threat Amy nearly balked "W..what do you want me to do?"

The female pulled back her hood to reveal a blond with shoulder length hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a visible scar running from her lower left jawbone to her right temple that spoke of a great past battle "I require you to modify something which I have recently come into possession of."

As she spoke she pulled a box and envelope from beneath the cloak "You will follow these instructions to the letter. As I stated a moment ago I do know what it will do and can do the procedure myself so I will know if you attempt to deviate from them."

Amy, her curiosity overriding her fear, took the box and instructions from her and began to head towards her lab once again now with the blond following her.

Once there she set the box down her workbench and opened it to see what she was to be working on and gasped "I know this little one. He belongs to that young man that hangs out with that meanie Kim Possible. How did you get him away from them?"

The stare she received from the blond was cold and hard "My methods are not yours to question. You will begin at once and I will return shortly. If I find that you have not completed your task or have altered him in any other way then described in those instructions I will not hesitate to fulfill my promise to end you and do it myself. Do as I ask and I will make sure that you are compensated fully for your time and effort."

With that she turned and walked towards the entrance stopping only when Amy called out from behind her "You never gave me a time limit or your name, you big bully."

She turned briefly and grinned "No, no I did not. Oh and you may address me as Persephone."

With that she vanished before Amy's eyes who, gulping turned and began to read the instructions left behind very carefully.


	30. One Foot in Front of The Next

I want to apologize for how long it's taken me to get a new chapter up. I've been having life being a total jerk to me for the last little while but I'm going to try and get back on a better release schedule.

So in the the words of a great actor:

Here. We. Go.

Chapter 30: One foot in front of the next

Disclaimer: I don't own Kim Possible or any of the characters in the show. Kale Possible, Kaylee Possible and Genevieve Possible all come from my mind. Isabel Gooding belongs to Starving Lunatic.

As Kaylee made her statement she settled into a stance that Shego knew very well, it was from the form that the females of her family had developed and only taught to their daughters. She knew at this point that she couldn't say anything but once they were done here (in one piece hopefully) she was going to find out exactly what else had been kept from her.

Rage scoffed at the smaller female before him "I don't care who you were or are, I'm more powerful then you ever were and once I've destroyed you I'll finish off my original pray before moving on."

With that he sprang forward with a right side snap kick that Kaylee merely slid to the inside of before landing a palm strike into the sternum of the larger fur covered martial artist that drove him back in more surprise then pain.

Following the path of her strike she landed an elbow into his upper left thigh before completing the combo with a spinning backhand that had he not blocked would have connected with his right temple. She smoothly took the block in stride and was back into a defensive position before he had time to formulate a counter and just looked at him expectantly.

With a cocked eyebrow she she snickered at her opponent "Aww did the poor kitty get swatted?" which brought forth the effect she desired as he bellowed and charged her with more ferocity but less skill then she knew him to be capable of. _'If I can only keep him off balance for a bit longer this might just work.'_ she thought to herself as the two combatants collided.

Watching the fight from her vantage point Shego was beginning to suspect that the smaller female, Kaylee she had to remind herself, was seemingly goading her fuzz covered other for some reason. It seemed odd that neither of them had attempted to use anything other then physical attacks by now when it occurred to her that she had seen Rage try and nothing happen.

Was Kaylee trying to keep him from focusing to do just that? Hell, for that matter what she said about using the twins power; how was that possible unless...unless they had absorbed a little bit and kept it till now? If that was true then was Rage fighting a duplicate? But she had used the edifier "I" not "We" as was the case with the twins and if that was the case didn't that mean that Kale was still in Rage?

That was when she realized why Kalyee was keeping Rage off kilter, he didn't know that yet or was to enraged to realize it but if he were to have time he might make the connection and try and take control. If she had learned anything with Kim it was that if they put their mind to it anything really was possible for a Possible so she would help give Kale whatever time he needed to do whatever he was planning.

With that thought she summoned a medium sized and powered plasma ball and when she saw her opening lobbed it at Rages' hindquarters catching him unawares as Kaylee had seen it inbound and had positioned him so that she was facing it and he never saw it coming.

As he was blasted forward he had a look that told Kaylee that something was happening with him and he was beginning to notice it. When he landed he whirled but stopped short and seemed to stiffen, eyes wide. As all the people assembled looked on a glow burst from his back and began to envelop him in an almost crystalline encasement the color of which was a brilliant yellow. His last word before it completely covered him was a bellowed "NOOOOOOOOO!"

Silence reigned for several moments as everyone tried to assimilate what they had witnessed before Shego turned to Gen and young Kale. "You two stay with that troublemaker, I'm going down to get some answers." before vaulting over the rail to land on the ground below and moving towards the female she wanted answers from.

Meanwhile outside the artificial island Dementor was busy putting distance between him and the soon to be detonated structure. He had seen to it that there was no audible warning of impeding destruction so that if those fools were still inside in oh, another t-minus four minutes there would be nothing left but particulate in the water.

After he had fled in fear for his life and had launched his escape boat he had realized that this was an opportunity to rid himself of at least part of the team of heroes that had caused him so much humiliation and it would take that turncoat out as well. He would be praised for this for certain and he would use the ensuing time of grief to rid himself of the rest of Team Possible when they least suspected it. All this for the loss of one base and several henchmen? It was a price he would pay willingly!

Regrettably he would lose that traveler that called himself Gemini and the prototype 'time machine' but he had never had a chance to even see if it worked or not so it was no real loss in the grander scheme of things. This did get him to thinking of what might happen if Gemini had been telling the truth and it detonated as well. What might the effects be to the surrounding area? At that moment he really wished he'd opted for the escape pod instead of the boat. Maybe he could clear enough distance before the explosion proceeded apace? He was certainly going to try!

Elsewhere

Rage opened his eyes to behold a familiar sight, the interior of Isabel's dojo. There before him was Kale in the Lotus position that he favored with his eyes closed, he appeared to be in meditation. Rage smirked "I'm impressed figment. Somehow you managed to gain control for a scant few moments, but that is over now that I'm back here." As he continued to speak he began to move towards the immobile figure. "You can't do anything but meditate to keep that barrier up which leaves me free to kill you for good so that you can no longer interfere with me and I will then finish what I set out to do."

Once he was within range he stuck out with a vicious right aimed at the still figures head but it never connected. As it drew close Kale's left arm intercepted it with such speed that Rage hadn't even seen it move, it was as if it had just appeared there.

"The being that you refer to as figment is gone, as you say Rage, or should I call you Id." Kale spoke, releasing the trapped arm. "I am the two made one. I am whole and you are undone for it."

The reaction was immediate. Rage drew back as if struck and retreated as the seated figure rose to a standing position and faced him. As his eyes opened Rage saw that in place of white the cornea was a pale yellow while the iris was a rich blazing emerald green.

As He began to speak Kale started to walk in a wide circle about Rage "I see now why you were so vigilant to keep my and Kaylee's personas' from each other. As long as we were separate, neither knowing of the others existence or interacting you had enough control to influence me to your will while making it seem like it was my idea. You would take certain things and warp them so I would perceive them the way you wanted and react accordingly. You made sure that no one knew that you were free from that barrier for the most part after Master Sensei found you the first time. At the time he couldn't remove you because you had me too far entwined with yourself for him to do that so he instead imprisoned you."

Rage balked at that "If I could have gotten free I would have long before now and have been rid of you figment. It was when we passed through the gate that sent us here that I finally freed myself. Once I have finished with you here I will destroy that pathetic copy and then your girlfriend and the others. You barely stopped me on my last rampage and I'm so much stronger now." It laughed as it saw Kale hesitate for a moment and something flash through those odd eyes. He assumed it was fear or worry and it brought him more joy.

Kale stopped and smirked "The reason you took a more active role here is that you thought you were powerful enough now that you need not fear either of us and in that you may have been correct. We were weaker separated and on our own but we are no longer two halves, we are once again a single mind and with that one core. I can contain you myself now that I remember the ritual and have the peace of mind needed to do so. You tried to make me angry but you have forgotten that we trained for years to quiet our mind and be tranquil. Goodnight Id, we will talk again when we can have a civil conversation." With that said he began to chant.

In the lair

Shego made her way towards the female standing near the encased thing that had been Kale, when she got there she took a good long look at the woman before her. If she hadn't known better she would have sworn Kim had just dyed part of her hair and maybe added a couple inches with heels and a very padded bra.

"Do you have any idea how much you look like her?" Shego asked out of the blue. "Wait, scratch that, What the hell is going on first off?"

"I know that you said who you are but I'd like to know how you are here and what is going on with Kale?" She stated somewhat impatiently.

The slightly shorter female almost smirked at how flustered Shego was but thought better of it. "Alright then, I'm here because we made use of what little stored ability we had of the twins and created this body for my consciousness and here I am. For some reason I can't pin down I'm still here. I can only guess that since I am actually conscious of this fact it is enough to remain. As for what is going on, Kale is taking care of Rage as we speak. We managed to merge back into one whole persona again so we both remember everything now."

"I guess I really should introduce myself properly; my name is Katrina Leann Possible-Gooding. Kaylee for short. I am Kim possible's daughter raised by Brianna Gooding and afterwards Isabel Gooding. A lot of what he remembered was the truth to an extent, twisted by Rage for his own ends but the kernel of truth was there." She paused as though she had just thought of something "Kale remembers everything but he and I are again two different people, I guess you could call me his twin sister. Imagine that."

Shego had listened somewhat bewildered by this new information and was quickly coming to grips with what it meant.

Up on the raised platform Gen and Kale were making sure that Tanner was secure and he was giving them no resistance when his wrist started giving off a shrill alarm. He looked at it and his head snapped up to look at Team Possible with terror evident in his eyes "There is a massive power flux in the T.A.S.D.M. According to the readings it's giving off I think the self destruct was activated!"

Both cousins looked to each other knowing what that meant and then whirled to where Shego was about to start asking questions again. "We have a major problem here! Tanner says that the self destruct may have been activated and the Proto T.A.S.D.M. is headed towards critical! We need to get out of here now!" Gen yelled as Kale gathered their charge up over his shoulder.

Shego stopped short as Kaylee's face lost all it's color and they both turned towards the crystalline cocoon wondering how they were supposed to move it. Kaylee then closed her eyes and Shego realized that she and Kale might still be attached in some way and she was trying to communicate with him. She hoped it worked and soon, she didn't know what would happen if a time machine blew up but she could bet it wasn't good.

In Kale's mindscape

Kaylee became aware that she was in Isabel's dojo with Rage standing in the center of it with Kale chanting. She quickly made her way to them which made Rage jump when he saw that she was there as well. Ignoring the glare she got she moved to Kale and placed her hand on his shoulder "I hate to break your concentration but we have a major situation and we all need to get out of here."

He stopped and turned to her "What is so dire that it needs to interrupt this? I need to make sure that our Id is properly contained until we can figure out what exactly happened."

She half turned to acknowledge that Rage was still there before she started again "Tanner has a proto T.A.S.D.M. here and it is giving off readings that it could be going critical. We all know what that means. We need to get out of here yesterday so while I would love to wait until he's back in his box I think survival takes precedence, don't you?"

Both Kale and Rage looked at here before looking at each other. Rage's shoulders slumped "I may well be destructive but I'm not completely without self preservation instincts. I'll stay here until the immediate danger is past, then we will see who is stronger." He finished looking straight at his counterpart.

Kale took this in hand "Agreed."

He turned to Kaylee "Kat, You might want to get a bit back, I think the cocoon might get volatile when I let go."

Kaylee's eyes snapped open and she looked to Shego before grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the crystalline form as it was already beginning to make a whining noise akin to feedback over a speaker.

It began to pulse as the noise became more pronounced until it shattered in a display of crystal dissolving into pure energy and vanishing leaving a male form behind. As the energy dissipated Kale's form, his non feline form, came into view.

He looked about briefly before looking down "Once again I find myself naked. I swear I should just move to a nudist colony, it would save me so much on clothing replacement."

even with the immediate danger Shego couldn't hold the laugh back at his comment then it was back to business at hand "Sparky, are you alright?"

He looked back to her "Yeah hun, it's under control for the moment. We have bigger problems if what Kat said is true."

At that point the other trio had joined them and Gen stepped up "We can slide four back total with us. I'm sorry but the equipment wouldn't handle anymore. Is there any other way to stop this thing?"

Both older Kale and Kaylee shook their heads "Even if we could there isn't enough time to even reach it if the self destruct is going. Since I don't see any signs of henchmen showing up to stop us I have a feeling they may have had some kind of warning and took off. I just hope they can reach a safe distance in time."

Kaylee stopped for a moment and Kale took the opportunity to speak "Shego and I can take the jet, you four take the fast route. No Kat, you are going with them; it would be better that way anyway. You don't belong in this time and you know it. There is really no time for argument right now so get going."

As he turned to start running for the jet with Shego a pair of pants hit him in the head. He turned and younger Kale was now in his boxers "I figured you'd need them more then me at the moment." He finished before bringing his hand up to the return button. "You two had better leave ASAP. We'll see you soon."

With that Shego and her Kale sped towards their jet and the other four individuals in the room huddled together as younger Kale hit the button. There was a brilliant flash and then they were gone.

The lair started to tremble as more reactors went critical somewhere in the bowels of the massive artificial island. It didn't make getting out of it any easier for the duo as they ran for the beach.

Once they made it to the jet Shego clamored into the cockpit and started the emergency startup routines as Kale donned the pants he'd been given "At least I knew they'd fit." he mused before following his girlfriend into the jet taking up the co-pilots chair.

Less then a minute later the engines fired to life just as a violent shaking began on the island "Punch it Shego! I think this thing's got not a lot of time before it goes and if we aren't far enough away we go with it."

As she lifted off she asked the question she really didn't want to ask "So what happens if we don't get far enough away when that thing goes up?"

He paused for a second "Basically we'd be shot into the time stream with no exit strategy, at least that's how it was explained to me and that's if we're on the outer edge of the blast. If we are closer then that we may very well cease to be or exist at all points and none at the same time. Let's just try and out run it and hope for the best."

Hearing that she hammered the throttle home and pegged the afterburners. Through the strain they both had suddenly thrust upon them Shego flipped the rear monitor on so she could see Kale and he could see her "Kale, if this doesn't work I just want you to know.. I want you to know that I do love you."

He looked at her image "As if after a line like that I'm not going to do everything I can to get us through this so I can show you how much you mean to me too love."

Breaking eye contact he flipped the communications switch and opened a channel to headquarters just as there was a massive explosion behind them.

Global Justice Headquarters

Betty Director was pacing in her office wondering what she was going to do if the AI was right. If Kale had been subsumed by Rage she may well have sent good agents to their possible death and Shego may have already been lost as much as she was loath to think about it. Then there was what she'd have to tell Kim and Ron if this was true. She knew that although they were both great agents they were still freelance and this could make the difference between them staying with GJ or not.

Her door burst open, breaking her out of her thoughts as she turned to tear into whoever had not even bothered to knock when Harli came into view looking like he'd just seen a dragon up close "Ma'am we have communications with Team Possible at Dementor's location. You really need to hear this." With that he ran back out of the office only now he was being tailed by Betty.

As they made into the Comm room they could hear Kale over the speakers "I repeat, Dementor's lair is going up but there is a major complication. There is a prototype time and space displacement module in there as well. When that goes up it could rip a localized tear in the fabric of space/time that could affect as much as twenty to thirty miles around. That's a bad thing if you can't tell!"

Harli grabbed a microphone "Kale? Is that really you? Is Shego with you?"

There was a strained snort from over the speakers "Yes it's really me and Shego is fine, at least we are for the moment. That blast wave is moving up really quick hun, do we have anymore to give it?"

"Only if you feel like you want to get out and push!" The response was strained as well, it was obvious that they were already moving at extreme speeds which was borne out buy the images they were getting from the spy sats that they had in position. They could make out the streak that was the jet and the much larger and oddly distorted wave that was gaining on them very rapidly.

Apparently Kale chose that moment to notice it as well "We aren't going to make out in time." his voice was the epitome of calm "Hang on to something love, I'm going to try and shield us from the worse of it." on the screen a faint yellow glow enveloped the jet.

Before Shego could reply he continued "Control we are caught in the distortion wave. Prep your emergency crews, there will be fallout from this on shore." His voice was distorting more and more as the time displacement moved closer to them. "Richie, Third! Find us! You can do it! Hold on Bri..."

There was a moment of silence as the wave over took the jet before continuing on, the jet was nowhere to be seen and then there was static.

Elsewhen

As Persephone stood in the shadows awaiting the next part of her plan to start she gave herself a small self gratifying grin _"It is all beginning to take shape. The pieces are falling into place nicely if I do say so myself. Soon Team Possible, you will get what you deserve for all that you have done in the past. Steel yourselves if you can. I will have my way and there is nothing you can do to stop me."_

She was driven from her ruminations as the halls briefly shook from a far off explosion and the klaxon alarms began their wail; the assault had begun.

She looked over her 'borrowed' GJ uniform once more before moving towards her destination; the main cell blocks.

Coming around the corner she walked straight into something out of a keystone cops movie with lower level agents running to and fro in an almost panicked state before they saw her in an officers uniform and collided with each other in an attempt to come to attention.

Looking at the assembled men she found the highest ranking among them "Sargent! Why are these men running about like schoolgirls when someone has just breached the medical wing and reinforcements are needed there immediately?"

As he looked on like a deer in headlights at her forceful dressing down she motioned towards the left

half of the agents "You lot! Report to medical and reinforce the agents there!"

She swung towards the other half "You report to the control room in case that is just a distraction for an assault there!"

As a hand was raised she addressed the Sargent "You pick five of this lot you trust and follow me. We will secure the front of the cell block. It has only one entrance and we can hold up inside if need be. Well what are you all waiting for? MOVE!"

At that all three groups jumped into action and soon she found herself inside the main cells with the six other agents fortifying the doorway in case whoever was coming made it this far.

Nodding approval at their efforts she turned to her ***snicker* **'second in command' "I am going to make sure that our guests are secure and accounted for. Do not let anyone in without the proper access code for the day. This comes straight from Dr. Director herself. Do you understand?"

He nodded once and turned back to his new duties

.

She went off to find her objective in this maze of cells, a smirk firmly on her lips.

After several minutes of searching she found the cell in question and stopped in front of it.

The occupant, one Montgomery Fiske looked up to see another Global Justice lackey staring at him. "Yes, what is that you want this time? Has your glorious leader decided it is once again time to see if I will tell her anything of use that she could not glean from other means? I fear I must decline her once again, now you may leave and I shall go back to reading."

"Monty, Monty, Monty. I fear that I have not the time for your pleasantries this fine evening. I promised a certain individual that if she preformed an operation for me I would compensate her for the trouble and I do like to keep my people happy." The blond stated all the while pulling a large syringe from a hip pack and grinning in a way that sent shivers down the simian limbed mans back.

"Hold still 'Montkins'." she drolled out as she revealed a high powered tazer and shot him point blank before he could react. "The needle will not hurt a bit."

After she had drawn the sample she knew the geneticist would go** *ahem*** 'ape' over she headed back towards an empty cell she had come across earlier while stowing the syringe back in it's padded case.

Once there she pulled from a pouch that should not have held it the time monkey idol and with one last look around was again swallowed by the vortex.

Amy had completed her task over an hour ago and was currently testing to make sure that the modifications she made to the little naked mole rat were holding and stable.

She had never thought about doing what that meanie Persephone had coerced her into doing before now, but looking at the final outcome she was amazed that someone like her wanted this done.

Further wondering was driven from her mind when she heard something behind her and turned around...to stare right into the none to small chest of her 'employer'.

After several seconds of total and awkward silence Persephone spoke bringing the heavyset scientist out of her stupor "My eyes are up here." an almost jovial tinge to her voice as Amy followed the hand that raised to accentuate the point.

Upon seeing the seeming friendly smile on the taller woman's face, Amy gave a small blush and stood so that she could give Persephone access to her prize.

With a nod of her head the woman, still adorned in the dark blue Global Justice uniform inspected both the rodent and the remote camera she had retrieved from it's hiding place before announcing her presence.

"Very well done Dr. Hall. I can see that you did indeed follow my directions to the letter. I do reward those who do not disappoint me and you have done an exceptional job." She stated as she unlatched the hip pack from her side.

As she handed it to Amy with a gleam in her eyes "Here is your payment. I know that you would prefer

capitol gains however I think you will find this a reasonable substitute."

Her curiosity peaked the overweight scientist opened the pack and quizzically picked the syringe up out of it. "What is this, if you don't mind me asking?" she squeaked out the last part as the blond turned to her with a less then pleasant look.

"That, my dear inquisitive Doctor, is a genetic sample from your jail bound paramour. Montgomery Fiske under glass if you will. I am to understand that you are smitten by the gentleman but that he spurns your advances. With that you may make a Monty that will love you as you so desire."

Amy's face lit up as all the possibilities ran through her mind "Oh I must start on this right away. Thank you."

Her joy was stopped cold by Persephone's next words "I have paid you for services rendered, however if you ever speak of what has transpired here your end will be slow, painful, and you will not go alone. What you have done here will further my plans for Team Possible nicely and I will brook interference from no one. Do not get in my way lest you find yourself facing me as a foe. Go and grow your new simian flavored man but stay out of sight for your own best interest."

Turning back Persephone gathered the again stasis boxed mammal and instructions and strode towards the entrance before pausing at it's opening "Oh and Dr. Hall? I do hope you were not to attached to this domicile. You have a little less then five minutes to get to a minimum safe distance from the impending implosion. I cannot allow any trace of my being here to be found and so to you I say Ciao ." she then slipped out the door with a now panicking DNAmy scrambling to gather what she could before she fled from the doomed building.


	31. From the Ashes

Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible or any of the characters in it, Disney does. Isabel Gooding belongs to Starving Lunatic. Kale Possible and Harli/ Ricardo Alphonse Senior the Third are mine.

Chapter 31: From the Ashes

Somewhere

Kale strained as his powers were being hammered upon as nothing had ever hit them before. The buffering from where they found themselves was increasing as though it could tell he was reaching the limits of his energy and were trying to claim the two occupants of the shielded aircraft as it streaked through the swirling expanse of wherever they were.

He knew that they had to find a way out of this vortex and soon or they would be subsumed by the turbulent and ravenous energies that it was seemingly composed of. All he needed were some sign, a way out of here intact and he would be on it like current through crystal.

Shego watched her boyfriend struggle with keeping his force-field up and at least semi steady and she just knew that if they didn't do something soon _Bad Things_ **TM** would occur. She didn't like feeling as though she were helpless to do anything, never had; but she had no idea what she could do at this moment besides watch and be there for Kale as he was there for her.

Turning to look out of the cockpit she let herself be momentarily distracted by how both beautiful and deadly the environment they found themselves in was. Time and Space really were impressive if you didn't think about the fact that they were mere moments from obliterating you from existence.

As she stared at the destructive forces all around them she thought she saw a glimpse of something dark in the swirling mass of colors, almost like...and there it was again. It almost looked like a mountain or something similar and as she continued to inspect the region of the nebulous area she'd seen it in it reappeared again as if it were taunting her or... or maybe guiding her?

She turned back towards Kale "Hun, nod if you can hear me." She waited and after a moment there was a distinctive movement of his head. "Good. I think there might be a way out of here to our seven o'clock. Can you steer us that way or is there a way I can get us going in that direction?"

His voice ragged from exertion Kale slowly responded "I might be able to change our vector by reshaping the shield but we're going to need thrust to make sure we make it. I could vent the air envelop out the back if you could provide the flame. It would take making an inner bladder so we will have a lot less air with us... can't risk exposing the jet to whatever that is out there. Just have to make it out before we asphyxiate. The on board air tanks may work for a little while but if we don't get out before too long it's gonna suck, no pun intended."

She nodded back "I see where you're going with that thought. I could try and charge the outside of your field and if you vented the air through a small enough aperture we would have at least somewhat controlled thrusters. That might work but we're going to have to hurry, I don't think that rift will stay stable or even open long."

Kale nodded and she began to concentrate on sensing his field and feeding her plasma out and over it. After several tense moments a green shimmer began to appear in overlay on Kale's field. Feeling this Kale began to reshape the field into a wider and more angled shape while also bringing the secondary layer up just over the skin of the jet and before whatever passed for atmosphere slowed them down too much created two small apertures for the air to issue from. As it did so the plasma ignited it and provided two small thrusters that he then manipulated to cause the craft to bank towards the opening that was now coming to bear directly before them.

Kale could feel that he was reaching the very limits of his endurance and to his horror felt as the fields begin to give way before a galvanizing thought coursed through him _"The stupid things we do for love. You'd better take care of her or we will have a reckoning." _

With that final thought from Rage he felt a last well of energy surge through him and just before they breached the opening the aircraft began to blaze a brilliant mix of emerald and amber.

As though they were reading each others thoughts both occupants reached out and clasped the others hand as they flew through and out of the rift, whatever awaited them they would face it as a couple.

GJ Headquarters

Things were in a shambles as Dr. Director and the rest of the control room had just watched both a craft holding two of their own and an entire artificial island disappear along with a fairly large quantity of sea water. The resulting vacuum was being swiftly filled in as nature attempted to regain it's equilibrium but it was going to be a little while.

Betty knew that this was only going to get worse along the coast as the sea level dropped along the shores and the resultant floods that would occur as the sea came back in so she began ordering all available units to mobilize and for control to inform all local agencies that they needed to evacuate as much of the gulf coast as they could. She only hoped that it wouldn't be as bad as she feared it might be.

As the director was busy with coordinating everything she was she didn't see the effect that Kale's last statement had upon Harli. _"He knew me...that means he remembered. I can only hope that he remembered everything. That doesn't matter though, they're counting on me to locate them. I've got to get access to records, all kinds of records. I only hope that they came out in the past and that there is some kind of clue."_

With that galvanizing thought he slipped out and made his way towards the labs that Wade and Drew used.

Kim and Ron's Halloween party had wound down and as they lay in bed she turned to look at her husband "Tonight was fun don't you think? I really didn't see Yori and Will coming dressed like that, they complimented each other well."

He nodded "I think it's funny that Shego and Kale apparently share a love of that Aliens movie. Those two really do work well together, I must say that I'm actually impressed that he can keep up with her like that. It's been a while since she's looked that happy. You know; those two disappeared somewhere. I wonder what they were up to?"

She shifted to kiss him " I think they might have had other plans for the evening and decided to get to them. I can't say I blame them, I think some time alone is something I can relate to."

He reached over to shut off the light and as darkness swallowed the room all that was heard was "Oh."

Daylight came far too soon in Betty's opinion as the rescue teams had yet to find any indication of the aircraft or even wreckage from it to indicate that it had just been driven beneath the surface instead of vanishing completely as it now appeared to have done. The aftermath to the mainland was actually far less then she had originally feared, mostly it consisted of several damaged ships and some minor flooding. A few people on the coast reported seeing odd lights and very slight time loss but most just thought that it was a power fluctuation or something similar.

She was broken from her revery by Will knocking on her office door. She waved him in and looked to her second in command, she could tell from the look on his face that he had heard at least a little of what was going on and decided to fill him in before he could start in on her.

"Sit down Agent Du. You are no doubt wondering why I did not inform you or the others last night as to the situation that is now in the cleanup and search phase." She waited for him to acknowledge that before continuing. "To tell you the truth I should have, however freelance agents Shego and Kale Possible took it upon themselves to go and capture Dementor so that Kim and Ron as well as the rest of you could have a well deserved rest. There was nothing at the time to indicate that this was anything that they couldn't handle and as things progressed I honestly just went with what agents I had on duty."

He looked at his boss and could see the fatigue, she had obviously been up all night coordinating the efforts. "I do understand ma'am but you should have called us in regardless. We might have been able to diffuse the situation if we had all been there."

Betty had thought he might have gone down that path and cut him off before he could go further. "Yes Will, I should have but I didn't; it was a judgment call. You may have done better if you all had been there or we might have lost all of Team Possible instead of only two members! As you know Kim and company are freelance and as their direct link with GJ you are just as much a part of that team. I need you to think Will, we can't fix what did happen but we can try and make sure that we don't lose anyone else because of a mistake. Hell, they asked me not to bother Kim with this mission and give her a break." As she finished she sank back in her chair, the last several hours now plainly evident on her visage.

She looked back at him " Now the question is, do we tell Kim?"

He didn't even hesitate with his answer " If we were to follow procedure it would be a need to know basis and she would operate better not knowing that two of her immediate teammates and friends may very well be deceased."

He paused, and even under the current circumstances a slight smirk was brought to his lips as he continued "However, thanks to the company that I now keep I say to hell with the book. We need to tell her and tell her ASAP. She is a strong woman and we would only be hurting ourselves if we withhold anything now."

Betty sat there for a second while processing what he had stated as much as how he'd stated it.

"She really means a lot to you doesn't she?"

He nodded "You have no idea ma'am. All of them do. It took those 'amateurs' to show this 'professional' that he had a lot to learn. I'd like to think I've gotten a bit better at what I do thanks to them. I owe her."

She had to fight the smile that was trying to form one her face, it seemed as though her second in command had finally grown up. "So if I told you to keep this need to know and she wasn't authorized to hear it?"

He shook his head "I tell her anyway. A) she deserves to know and B) with all due respect, she scares me more then you do. I have seen that woman when she is truly upset and honestly I pity anyone foolish enough to think of harming her family or friends and making it out unscathed or even in one piece."

She looked back at him and let the smile through "Good to know, I think you should get them in here so we can get through this and see about finding some trace of where our wayward agents might be."

Will nodded and went to his desk to make the call.

Harli had spent the last few hours pouring over every scrap of information that he could find about odd occurrences anywhere in the world, from scientific to folklore. So far he had made a very small dent even with his ability to process information being several times what it would be for the average human. He realized that this was going to take a long time and several more bodies to even have a snowflakes chance to extinguish the sun. If only he had a clue to go on, like a myth concerning a green skinned woman or a red and green haired male. He could only pray that something would jump out at him before too long.

"_Enough moping you idiot, they're counting on you to think outside the box. What would Kale do?"_ he wondered. Something that would stand out, something that would shout "We're right here!" that's what. If Shego was the same way, and he had no doubt she was; then all they had to do was find it.

Several nagging thoughts decided to interject at that moment, "So what do we do if and when we find them? How far back in the past have they have gone if that is indeed the direction that they were sent? Can we even get to them with another T.A.S.D.M. if we could build one?"

He was still looking over information an hour later when he was paged to report to the directors' office.

As he made it to the door he realized that this meeting had been called for one purpose, to inform Team Possible of what had happened, it was the only reason he could think of for the fact that every other member was in Dr. Director's office.

As he entered Kim turned to Betty "Alright, now all we have to do is wait for Shego and Kale and we can get whatever this is over with."

At that declaration she noticed that Dr. Director, Will and Harli all had a flash of something run across their faces. Something was wrong and it had to do with her two missing teammates.

Betty nodded to Harli and he shut the door before she spoke "Kim, something happened last night. Shego and Kale were sent out on a mission to stop Professor Dementor and something happened. There was an incident and well I would say that it is best for you to see it for yourself." she turned and switched on the viewscreen behind her and let the recording of the previous night play again.

As it came to the end where it went static Kim just looked at the screen and then turned to look Dr. Director straight in the eye as she spoke, her voice calm but with the edge of someone who was very perturbed "Why were we not immediately informed of this? These are my teammates. How dare you wait until several _**hours**_ after it occurred to call us in here? We possibly could have avoided all of that."

Just as she took in wind to further her righteous condemnation of the head of a secret law enforcement agency Betty stymied her with two quiet words "You're right."

Kim blinked several times as the meaning of those words filtered through her mind and sidetracked her from her attack.

Betty continued on "I made a judgment call and they had asked me personally to take this one so that you could all have a good time. By the time things had gotten out of our control even if I had contacted you there is no way you could have made it there before what did occur had already transpired. At that point I deemed it best that you were given time to rest up so that you could tackle this with fresh eyes and ears so maybe you could spot something that we had missed."

As Kim sat there she could almost hear her best friend going _"She's got you there Pumpkin."_ She shook her head and looked to her long time not quite friend but trusted ally "Okay, I can see where you could have come to that conclusion and it is a valid one. We will have to have a long talk about things but that is neither here nor there. So the question is now where do we even look for them? On that note has anything been found at or near the scene that could help us?"

Before the director could answer her Ron shot off a question "So who was Kale talking to there at the end? Heck what was all that talk of is it really him?"

Those two questions made almost everyone in the room pause, all but Betty and Harli. Betty spoke up "Harli I think it's time you leveled with Kim and the others about Rage." She turned to the rest of the group "The following was what Harli told to me after I asked you to leave the lab. I deemed it be kept from your knowledge just as a precaution. I have no idea who he was talking to just before the disturbance caught up with them."

All eyes turned to the artificial male and if he could have he'd have started to sweat. "Thank you Madam Director." he stated obviously uneasy.

He spent the next fifteen minutes filling in Team Possible as to what it was believed Rage was and how he had factored in as a watchman for his friend and he guessed now former partner. He did his best to field the questions that came his way with some help from Dr. Director as it got closer to the present in the story. As he wound down with what he thought had been happening with the power fluctuations during the time Kale and Shego had been in the island it became apparent why he'd asked Kale if it was really him.

Kim, visibly flustered with not having been told any of this prior, turned back to the director "I understand why you did keep this under wraps, I really do, but I still think you've crossed a line Betty. I have to wonder what else you've kept from me over the years. After we get my teammates back you and I will be having a long talk about Team Possibles' future with Global Justice."

Wade had been listening to the whole story with interest and decided that now was a good time to ask the question that Ron had stated previously "So who was Kale talking to then? He seemed pretty sure that whoever it was could hear him and I don't think he was being delusional. He said Richie and Third like he may have been talking to more then one person so there is that as well."

Harli shook his head. " You are partially right Wade. He did know that who he was talking to could hear him, and it's not Richie and Third. It's Richie or Third. He was talking to me, he apparently had regained his full memory of who he was and so he remembered me. I guess I should tell you who I really am after all this time huh?"

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ricardo Alphonse Senior The Third." as he spoke his face began to shift from the younger visage of Kale to a fairly well built male of Mediterranean decent. "There never was any Harli, that was for the politicians farther up the food chain that oversee special projects. Chel and Kale had devised what was hoped to be a fully self actualized artificial intelligence but they could never replicate what they had heard Dr. Freeman had done. It was at this time I feel ill due to a rare nerve disorder that was shutting down my body in no small amount of time. Kale and Chel had been my friends for many years and dropped everything to try and help find a cure or something else but I was quickly fading. That was when Chel hit upon the idea of transferring my mind into the A.I. Matrix that they had developed."

He paused before continuing "It was not without risk but I didn't really want to die and this was a chance to avoid that fate. Both my father and mother along with my grandfather were very much for the idea but there were laws against doing such things so it had to be done in secret and Kale had the brilliant idea that I would pass myself off as their newly formed and running A.I. The only other person who knew was Director Du but he understood what we had done and why so he covered for us."

"That was how we were able to do things until after Kale had his breakdown and couldn't for some reason remember what had happened to me as Third and only remembered me as Harli. We deemed it prudent that I keep the fact that I was Third a secret so as not to cause him any further reason to have another break. I got so used to it that it's become second nature to me to just be Harli or halfpint. When he called me Richie and Third I think it was his way of telling me that he remembered everything."

He finished up and waited for whatever they would now do.

Elsewhen

The culmination of her efforts and planning in sight, Persephone paused and a wistful smile graced her lips _"Soon this will all be done. Team Possible prepare yourselves, justice comes to you on swift wings." _

She found herself now outside a very familiar split level house early on a brisk winter morning dressed as though she were heading for a family gathering.

Her scar was gone now as it had served it propose and was no longer required as was the blond hair, replaced now with raven black locks, her skin held now a deep olive tone to it.

She set herself and hefted the package she carried and made her way to the door, as she approached she could hear several voices inside.

Knocking upon the door she waited as someone came to see who it was.

Once it was opened she saw before her a older redheaded woman "Yes?"

Persephone smiled at her "Hello, is this the Possible/Stoppable residence?"

The redhead nodded as a younger red haired female strode up behind her "It is. How can I help you?"

"I have a package that my boss wanted me to get out here yesterday but as you can imagine it is really hectic this time of year. I thought I would drop it off on my way to my parents house."

The older redheaded woman smiled "That was very thoughtful of you. Would you like to come in for a moment?"

Persephone shook her head "I really need to get on the road if I am to get there before my sister and cousins decide that my presents should open themselves. If you could just sign here for the package ma'am."

Kim took the small electronic device and scrawled her signature on the touch sensitive plate before handing it back to Persephone who in turn gave Kim the fairly heavy parcel.

"Thank you again ma'am and Happy Christmas." with that she turned and seemingly made her way towards a waiting car while waiting to hear the click of the door closing.

Once the door shut she made her way around the corner and ducked behind the cover of a larger RV. She opened her portal and jumped through, intent on finishing this mission of hers and getting back to her own time.

Back at Kim's house

After shutting the door Kim looked at the package in her hands. Who had sent it she wondered before noticing that it had been addressed to both her and Ron. There was a small card in an envelope atop it so she brought the package into the living room where the rest of the family and friends were gathered before setting it down and opening the envelope to reveal a card with a note inside it.

She called Ron over and after explaining that someone had sent the two of them a package they decided to read the letter to see if they could find out who.

The letter read:

As we travel through life the people we meet change us as we change them. Sometimes they are brief meetings and sometimes they last a lifetime. When you lose them it can make you wonder what good there is in the world and if you could have just a little longer with them you would trade almost anything. There is a time for grief and a time for healing, maybe sometimes they are one in the same. This is your just reward for being who the world needs you to be Team Possible, enjoy it and remember that you sometimes need to keep your friends close at hand and that for good to happen sometimes bad must happen first.

P

They looked at each other and then the box that had suddenly taken a much more ominous feel then the simple gift it had been shortly before. Kim carefully picked the package back up and made her way to the back yard where they had a test site for inventions while Ron gathered up Wade and Drew.

Once they were all assembled and had made sure that if something were to happen it would be away from there family. Kim turned to Wade "This was delivered to our house just a little bit ago. Is there anyway to see if we can backtrack with the cameras and see who delivered it? We'll also want a full scan of this just to see if it does contain anything hazardous."

He nodded "I can try and see what we can do about the cameras but we should be able to scan this fairly easily, let me just grab a Kimmunicator and we can use it's on board systems."

Two minutes later he was back. "okay so let's see what we're dealing with here." he stated as he began to scan the package .

After twenty seconds he stopped and looked at the readout "Well that's odd. I can't get a reading from inside the wrapping. It's almost like it's absorbing the scan and not reflecting anything."

Just as he was about to suggest they do something with it there came a muffled beeping from within the package and suddenly the top of the wrapping burst as the lid flipped open and they all jumped back expecting something to happen. When nothing but a slight mist escaped over the edges of it Wade hit the scan again this time aiming it at the now open lid.

What he got back baffled him

"I've got a reading that can't be right. I know it can't be right but I've scanned it three times. Ron you might want to look in the box." he finished, amazed at what he saw by the scan. A reading he hadn't seen in over four years.

Ron looked at his friend quizzically before complying and taking a look inside the box, confident that it was safe otherwise Wade would never have told him to do it. As he did so he stopped and stared incredulous as to what was in the box before slowly, slightly shaking reaching in and pulling out a small pink lump. A lump that began to move and became a small naked mole rat that couldn't be.

His question came as a mere whisper, as though he feared that to speak too loudly would make the apparition before him vanish.

"Rufus?"


End file.
